Hollow Child
by Dreamt Tempest
Summary: Under enough pressure, anything snaps. For a desperate girl, it happened sooner than expected, and her actions puts Zouken in a precarious position. A different fate ensues, one where Sakura and Shirou face the Fifth Holy Grail War better prepared.
1. Chapter 1

Sakura Matou distracted herself from the situation. Shinji's room held the slightest stench from his chemicals, a minor smell that tickled the nose for the first few minutes. By the time he finished with her, her sense would've acclimated to the sensation.

She tasted iron where she bit the inside of her mouth. The girl enjoyed cooking since it made Senpai happy. Even so, she disliked the blood from raw meat. Blood signified life and, from a mage's perspective, contained magical energy even if it was trace amounts. As a result, she needed all her blood, since she needed her Od. Not a drop of red left her mouth. She swallowed it all to not waste any.

She heard Shinji's erratic breathing and the rhythmic, familiar sound of his bed creaking. Of all her senses, hearing gave her the least trouble. Her mouth was violated often. Crest Worms gave a putrid odor that never faded away. Her body betrayed her with pain and carnal sensation. She saw things which would drive most souls into insanity. Oh, how she wished insanity embraced her with its numbing love.

Nevertheless, hearing supported her. She learned to let screams and insults wash over her. No matter what her family said, they paled in comparison to her self-berating. When thrown into the basement where Crest Worms crawled into every orifice and into her body, she didn't mind their sound. To her, the thousands of worms crawling and slinking sounded akin to raindrops. It helped with distracting herself, a world where she sat alone under a pavilion as rain fell from the heavens.

Sakura blinked. Shinji's room looked mundane, especially inside the house of a magus. A closet. A bookshelf with books. A table. A shelf to hold school supplies and those smelly chemicals. He lived in an ordinary room since he was an ordinary boy. Her brother had no talent or potential in magic, so their grandfather ignored him completely. What a blessing…

She looked at the ceiling. Even when she closed her eyes, she pictured it perfectly. She grew accustomed to the sight after night upon night of this… ritual. Thus, she noticed the ladybug immediately. Fall arrived and brought frigid temperatures, so those insects fled towards warmth.

Even so, the purple-haired girl had difficulty with keeping her eyes on the ladybug. With Shinji's every thrust, her body moved forwards then backwards again which incidentally was why the bed creaked rhythmically.

That brought her to the last sensation and the one she despised the most. Feeling. Touch. Pain. The body's vast network of nerves traveled to her brain. She had no way to stop it like closing her eyes, shutting her mouth, pinching her nose, or plugging her ears. Her body always felt, so she always suffered.

Crest Worms shifted and consumed from her under the girl's skin. The largest pulsated next to her heart, her grandfather's consciousness. He always was with her like a shadow. As they consumed her Od, her body atrophied and hungered for more. She felt as they crawled through her orifices when in the basement. She trembled as they produced pain and acted as an aphrodisiac. Her lust caused them to create more which caused her to lust more which caused them to create more. More. MORE.

Blood acted as a minor transfer of Od. Even those with no functioning magic circuits, like her adopted brother, had Od in their blood. Why did the Crest Worms stimulate her? There existed a more… efficient transfer. Even more than blood, it represented life. It WAS life.

Semen.

Shinji let out a final thrust. His member spasmed and released the… magical energy deep inside her. He let out a triumphant moan and pushed himself off her. He took special care to drive his elbow into her ribs on the way up.

_He enjoys my suffering._

Ignoring those thoughts and not wanting to waste time, she slid on her panties and bra, not caring to clean his mess inside her. The hand-shaped bruise on her upper arm and marks on her torso already showed. She briefly wondered what caused him to be more violent today.

"You're mine," he gloated between his labored breaths. He smiled lecherously, his gaze pointedly not at her face. "And you always come back for more."

Technically, she didn't come to him today. Her reserves would've lasted until tomorrow, but he grabbed her by the arm and pushed her onto his bed. In the end, what difference did the timing make? He raped her before, and he'll rape her again. She didn't bother calling it anything else. It merely was another fact of her existence, one that existed from twelve years until now at fifteen. She held no delusions that it will change in the future.

"Sorry." She looked at the ground and spoke those words in total honesty. How could she not feel sorry for her brother? He wanted to be the next Matou hair, the next magus of the family. Instead, her blood family pawned her into this one where her presence shattered his dreams. His mother was fed to the Crest Worms for birthing a child with no functioning magic circuits. His father was a drunk who ignored his son before dying. His grandfather overlooked him except the occasional comment where he tells Shinji how worthless he is.

How could her brother not feel hate? How could he not look at her with disdain? She was something he wanted but will never reach, so he took her in a fleshly manner. If only a way existed to save him.

_If only there was a way to let him suffer like me._

Sakura put on her blouse and berated herself for being evil. She loved her adopted brother like a blood brother. He didn't deserve to suffer like she did. No one did. What kind of monster wished living hell on others? She really must deserve this pain.

As if the world heard her thoughts, pain kissed her cheek as Shinji slapped her. "Sorry? Sorry!" He laughed as though she told a joke. "Don't you belittle me!" he snarled. "Thinking you're so special for being a magus. Taking all of grandfather's time from me. Don't you dare pity me!"

He put on his pants by this point. His body glistened in sweat and his seaweed-like hair pressed against his scalp. Lanky. He looked lanky. Not much muscle and no fat. She didn't pity him. She wished he had a better life.

_I pity him. I loathe him. _

She didn't pity or loathe him at all. She loved her brother and wanted him to be happy.

Sakura bowed her head and slipped on her skirt. The ache and jolts of pain throughout her body were ignored. A drop of raging river paled when compared to the sea. She staggered out of his room and into the massive halls of their mansion. The Matou home took more space than some hotels. It almost harkened back to older days of knights and heroes.

Only two people lived inside. Herself and her brother. Her grandfather also called these walls his home, but he cast away his humanity decades ago. His consciousness transferred to his Crest Worms. Even though the bugs could form into a temporary body, he spread himself over his swarm, including the ones that violated and lived inside her.

As she trudged away, Shinji stepped out of his room, almost red with anger. How odd. "I know what you're doing! You've been going to Shirou's house!"

Senpai…

The mere mention of his name lightened her world like a match in a black cave. She first saw him years ago after school hours. The sun had begun its descent and cast the world under an orange hue. Senpai wanted to pole jump at a certain height but failed on his first try. She wasn't sure why she stopped to watch him, but she did. Perhaps she wanted to see how many tries he'd take before quitting. Maybe she wanted an excuse to stay away from home for a few more minutes.

It didn't matter why. She just watched him. He picked himself back up and tried again. He failed and tried again. Minutes passed. More tries and more failures. The orange hue changed into a black shadow, but he tried still. If a normal person saw Senpai, they'd call him stupid for failing so often. To Sakura, she saw…

_A fellow failure._

She saw something different. From then on, she watched him from a distance and listened to any rumor she heard. Senpai always helped others. He fixed school equipment. He'd go out of his way to help a stranger. He never asked for anything in return.

She knew he joined the archery club. It provided a perfect opportunity to be near her senior by a year. Despite having no interest in archery and knowing Shinji participated in the same club, she joined. Though she never talked to him for those first few mundane weeks, the girl found the experience the most pleasant in memory because…

_I'm a stalker._

Because he looked peaceful. He never missed, a genius of the bow. Then, like all other things in her life, tragedy struck. He got a burnt and broken arm working at his part-time job.

_Shinji enjoyed his pain._

It was a tragic accident. His arm sustained notable injuries. Within two days, the rumors spread. Senpai won't be able to fire a bow for a couple weeks, but he decided to quit archery club. He didn't want to be injured again, since then he couldn't help anyone.

Sakura fell into a deeper despair than before. Just when she could be near Senpai, he was gone. Then, a wonderful thought sprung into her mind.

_Embed yourself in his life like a Crest Worm._

She could help him at his home while he recovered! As it turned out, he needed the help. Senpai worked diligently and maintained his oddly large, Japanese-style home in perfection; however, he had no parents. His adopted father died years ago.

_Did he suffer like me?_

He never stopped her, so she came over every morning henceforth. Cooking. Cleaning. Simply being there. Under the same roof, they'd eat breakfast together. He taught her how to cook. He smiled at her. HE SMILED AT HER!

_He knows nothing of my darkness, my impurity, my evil._

When his arm healed, she expected to leave him behind. She lost her excuse to see him, but he said, "See you tomorrow morning." He expected her to come back, so she did. For a month and a half, she spent her mornings with Senpai. For once, her soft smiles had a trace of truth rather than an illusory lie.

At the edge of the stairs, she turned around to face her brother and answered, "Grandfather never told me to stop." For some reason, he allowed her a taste of happiness. She dared not question why.

He marched towards her and embodied youthful anger. His eyes blazed in jealous fury. His cheeks reddened in hate. His hands clenched into fists. Will he rape her again or simply hit her?

His footsteps echoed on the wooden walls, bare of any family portraits. She dared not step back or risk tripping on the stairway to the first floor. A collection of dust covered the handrails and floor, for no one bothered maintaining the mansion.

"You belong to me!" he yelled. Why did he repeat himself? She understood him the first time. Even then, Senpai was one of the few males who tolerated Shinji's presence. He got along with everyone even if he disapproved of how he treated her. She thought he suspected Shinji to occasionally boss her around the house. Nothing more. No one suspected anything more. No one cared enough besides Senpai.

Did her brother just realize she visited Shirou for weeks?

She nodded and took her first step down the stairway. He grabbed her forearm, hard. Soon, it will leave a bruise meaning she'll wear a jacket all day tomorrow. Most of the time, he took care to hurt her where it could be concealed better.

"Don't ignore me!" She felt him squeeze with all his might. "Why would that idiot even tolerate you? Slut! Liar! Thief!"

He wouldn't order her to not go because he couldn't. Without Grandfather's permission, he could do nothing. Rape her. Punch her. Strangle her. Criticize her. He couldn't kill her, so he had no option of stopping her. She felt sorry for him since her actions made him feel powerless. She knew she was a cruel and selfish person under her smiling exterior. Why else would she like going to see Senpai? It made her happy, so that was selfish. It made Shinji feel bad, so that was cruel.

_Is being selfish wrong?_

Yes, it was wrong. She had no right to be selfish.

Shinji wanted to hurt her. His words grasped at anything to demean or disillusion her. Did he even pay attention to what he said? Perhaps if he did, his fate could've been avoided.

"You go around smiling and being helpful," he sneered. "I know what you really are. I know why no one should tolerate you!" He gave up discouraging her and let go. Sakura took two more steps down the stairs. Under his breath, he mumbled a careless comment. "Maybe I should tell Shirou you're not a virgin."

Sakura froze.

_Kill him._

One of her feet hovered centimeters above a step, but she didn't move it down to touch. Her hand gripped the handrail until her knuckles turned white.

Seeing a reaction, Shinji smirked like a predator stalking prey. "Oh, he'd love to hear that, wouldn't he? Little Sakura. Pure Sakura. Just a lie. You're a slut who can't last a few days before you come crawling on your hands and knees, begging for my dick." He laughed. "I wonder how much he'd hate you for tainting his house. For tainting him with your existence."

No! Senpai smiled at her. He was nice to her. He showed her how to cook better and ate meals with her. He even pat her head once! Now, she'd hurt him! He'd know how she lied and never would speak to her again.

_KILL HIM._

She didn't want to hurt Senpai.

"P-Please don't," she whimpered. Her stoic mask cracked, and tears formed in her eyes. "Please."

Shinji puffed out his chest. "Not so high and mighty now, are you? Maybe if you never go to his house again, I'd consider it. Oh! And beg on your hands and knees too. You better beg hard. I'm not in a generous mood."

Terrified, she crawled up the stairs and kneeled before her brother. She'll never visit Senpai again, but she won't hurt him. "Please," she whispered.

He cupped his hand over his ear. "What was that? A whisper? You must really hate that idiot to only whisper for him."

At the top of her lungs, she shrieked, "Please! Please! Please! Don't let me hurt Senpai! Please do-!" Her voice broke from the strain. She sobbed. The sole bright match in her life snuffed itself and left a wisp of smoke behind.

_KILL HIM!_

Her left hand itched.

"Hmmm." He rubbed his hand on his chin in mock consideration. "That was a little better, but… Nah." He waived his hand. "I think I will tell him any-"

Something snapped. She no longer paid attention to what he said. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Shinji will destroy the only thing to ever make her feel happy.

Her left hand shot out and grabbed his right leg. With all her might, she pulled. Shinji let out a shriek and lost his balance. His body lurched forward, and his head slammed into a stair corner. His body toppled over his head. Sakura watched as he tumbled down to the first floor. He didn't get back up.

Sakura stood and looked below. She didn't feel anything in particular. There was no relief by keeping her secrets from Senpai. Nothing swelled in her chest. No remorse. No glee. It felt… like taking a bite of plain rice. She simply acted to survive, though it did nothing else for her.

A pool of blood crept from Shinji's head. His eyes stared at the ceiling without seeing. His arms and legs lied at peculiar angles.

Sakura murdered her own brother. That didn't disturb her, nor did her lack of concern worry her.

Grandfather stepped from the basement. She knew he watched it. He saw everything. The rape. The punches. Everything. His voice filled the void of silence like two knives grinding together. "Clean that mess before it stains the carpet."

"Yes, Grandfather." Her voice sounded normal. It made sense. Nothing important changed after all.

As if it was an afterthought, he looked towards the last living human in the Matou mansion. "Oh, and throw the body to the Crest Worms. Might as well get some use from him."

She nodded and walked down the stairs. It seemed befitting for Shinji to die this way. A mundane death for a mundane human. Nothing noteworthy occurred, and no one will mourn him.

Sakura lifted the body by the shoulders and drug him to the basement. She felt the slightest annoyance from it all, since it left a line of blood. More stains for her to clean. How unfortunate.

Not bothering to drag the carcass any further, she pushed it over into the pit, and the body sunk into the withering mass of worms. She smiled at the sight. "Brother, aren't you happy now? You always wanted to be a magus. You got the same training as me now!" Well, the worms violated her while her brother got consumed, but the devil's in the details.

She rubbed her bloody hands on her blouse and closed the basement door behind her. Grandfather had yet to move. It appeared he was deep in thought.

"Sakura, this is your mess. Find a new supply yourself." Without waiting for a reply, his body dissolved into a withering mass of Crest Worms.

_Senpai._

She protected Senpai!

_And it felt good. Really good._

She hummed as she filled a bucket with soap and water. A magus almost never used modern conveniences, so Sakura had no carpet cleaner. With a mop, she repeated the same steps until the blood's remnant disappeared. Rinse. Dry. Repeat.

She scratched at her left hand. It tingled just under the skin. She used that hand to pull Shinji, so maybe she sprained something. She'll worry about that later. Wiping her brow, she smiled at her work. Senpai liked clean houses, and she tidied hers up a bit.

_Senpai wants to be a hero._

Then Senpai will never know what happened. Like the other horrors in her life, this won't see the light of day either. He'd hate her if he ever learned about what happened.

_So he never will._

Something snapped back into place. Sakura blinked, confused. She looked around the room with damp carpet and noticed the mop in her hands. "How did I get down here?"

She looked up the stairs. Weren't she and Shinji standing there? She felt the throbbing pain from his… actions in the bedroom. She recalled that, but something stood just outside her grasp, like having an answer on the tip of her tongue.

Where did Shinji go? "Shinji?" she called out. The girl never sought her brother, but the definite feeling of wrongness exceeded her normal habits. Knowing her brother, he'd come running at her irate that she called for him like a master would a servant. He was in the mansion. He must've heard her, yet no reply came.

Where was he?

_He ran away._

Yes, she faintly recalled that. He hated her so much that he left the house. Her existence drove her brother away from the only place he called home. What a horrible person she was. Grandfather and herself, the only two occupants remaining.

Her shoulders slouched. Loneliness smothered her life for years, and it became more blatant.

"Sakura." She turned around and saw her grandfather. His pale form looked like a worm even in a human disguise. Oddly enough, her grandfather showed a rare emotion, surprise. If he had an eyebrow, it would've rose with the rest of his skin.

"How will you punish me for making Shinji run away?" she asked and prepared herself for another sleepless night.

_He won't punish me. He's terrified of me now. I ensured he has no more heirs. I am the only path to his dream._

"Ah…" He paused, as if he didn't know how to answer her question. He continued by disregarding what she said. "More pressing things concern me over losing a worthless life." He cackled under his breath. "Perhaps I misjudged a few things." He admitted a mistake? "Show me your hand."

Assuming he spoke of her left hand, the one that tingled, she raised it for him.

He shook his bulbous head. "Of all the reasons to receive Command Spells…"

"Grandfather?"

He tapped his cane on the ground like a judge deciding a sentence. "I will release you from my household and Crest Worms if you complete one task."

Sakura didn't move. She must've heard something wrong. He must hate her for chasing Shinji away, but he offered the one thing she dared not hope for in almost a decade? Freedom? He decided to torture her with sweet words. Yes, he chose this as punishment.

"Look at your hand." She did. A symbol etched itself onto the back of her hand, three petals. "You have been chosen to fight in the Holy Grail War. You will win and let me wish in your place. Then, I will let you go."

She faintly remembered Uncle Kariya, how he fought in the war to free her and died. He proved she had no hope to escape, and now the same opportunity came to her.

Sakura knew she was a horrible person. Senpai deserved a girl better than her, purer than her, and kinder than her. She didn't delude herself into a happy ending, but maybe her freedom could buy a lifelong friendship between them… A life where she could help Senpai even after he found a girl worthy of him.

_He could be mine._

Sakura nodded and spoke two words that changed countless fates. "I will."

* * *

Shirou Emiya wanted to be a Hero of Justice, but he settled for helping others for now. His late father was a magus and taught him a little before his passing. For the moment, he could only reinforce or structurally grasp objects, the magical equivalent of saying "mama" or "dada". He'll get better one day. He must to achieve his dream.

As a Hero of Justice wannabe, he knew what to do today. The rumors circulated this morning, and his homeroom teacher and sorta big sister Taiga confirmed them. Shinji Matou left Japan. He transferred to a European school for some reason and didn't bother telling anyone. A few students whispered his grandfather, Old Man Zouken, went to the principal to iron things out, though no one could confirm that one.

What bothered Shirou was Sakura. He woke up early this morning and made her (and Taiga since she never passed a free meal) breakfast. They ate in silence like normal. They cleaned the dishes and packed a lunch like normal. They walked to school together like normal. She never said anything about Shinji leaving. Maybe she felt embarrassed about it.

He never claimed to understand girls… or most people for that matter. Shinji called him distorted once, always willing to help and never caring about his own needs. Why should he be selfish? If someone needed help, it only felt natural to help them.

_He walked past as the fire consumed men, women, and children. Babies screamed. Mothers ran into the fire only to die with their children in vain. He walked past them all._

Sakura arrived on his doorstep one day. He knew Shinji for a couple years, but he never met his little sister. Then, there she was, insisting to cook and clean his house because he was injured. He didn't want to let her. He should be the one helping, not the one getting the help. After the first few days, he understood she liked assisting him, so who was he to deny her happiness?

Perhaps she really liked his kitchen?

In the end, he accepted that Sakura Matou became a part of his home. Even with Taiga checking on him (and eating his meals), things felt empty without Father. A big house wasn't meant for one person.

_Home after home burned in a raging inferno. He didn't know which, if any, were his._

He left his high school without asking anyone if they needed help. To outside observers, they saw a man on a singular mission. He walked to Sakura's middle school and entered the building. It violated rules, but the situation superseded rules. Justice needed to be delivered.

The moment he entered, he saw her alone. She never mentioned friends before. "Sakura!" He called out her name and strode towards her. She looked up and smiled softly.

_He watched as the man who adopted him smiled and cried in joy. Kiritsugu Emiya found the only survivor at ground zero. The boy knew it was selfish, but he wanted to have that same joy by saving others._

Her eyes opened in mild shock. "Senpai," she half whispered. "You should've waited at the gate."

He shook his head. "Is it true. Shinji's gone?"

"Yes."

He wasn't the most perceptive person, but Sakura's distress looked blatant. She tilted her head to the ground. Her muscles tensed. Her hands clenched. Damn it. Why hadn't he noticed anything this morning? He's a sucky senpai.

"Come on." He smiled. "I'm cooking tonight, whatever you want."

She looked at him with violet eyes. "Then I'll cook." Ah… That wasn't the response he expected, but if it made her happy…

"Okay!"

She took off her school shoes and put on her normal ones. After grabbing her books, they walked home together.

_Walking on glass, wood, rubble, bodies as the fire devoured all._

They walked over leaved that crunched underfoot. An autumn freeze brought many of the remaining leaves down. The normal smells of the city became masked by the earthy, pleasant aroma of decay. Clouds hung overhead and blocked the sun. He shivered, so he immediately looked to Sakura for any sign of her being cold. He couldn't tell.

"Here." He draped his coat over her shoulders. The thought of his cooling body didn't register. Sakura didn't say anything, but she seemed happy. Totally worth it.

The duo reached the house, and he unlocked the door. Maybe he should give her a spare key? Yeah, he'll do that tonight. No matter what might happen in her household, the Emiya residence always waited with open arms. That's what a Hero of Justice would do, right?

_He never looked back. Did his parents disappear into the smoke and fire behind him, or did they mourn the passing of their son to this day?_

Without a word, Sakura planted herself in his kitchen. He cleaned the empty rooms. It felt wrong to relax when she worked, so he busied himself. He punted homework off for later. Why did Father choose a house with so many rooms? Did he expect others to live here? Sometimes for months, his father disappeared and never told him where he went. Shirou often wondered if he tried to find people to fill those rooms but never succeeded. It was like his dream. He pursued it yet couldn't grasp it.

_He fell on the ground, exhausted. His legs wouldn't move no matter how much he wanted to live. Maybe dying was better. Less suffering that way. With his last remaining strength, he reached his hand towards the twinkling night and grasped, as if he could pluck the stars from the heavens._

"Senpai. Ah, Senpai?"

He jerked his head to the speaker. Sakura stood in the doorway. He turned the lights on for the hallway but not for this vacant bedroom. The yellow artificial light cascaded around her figure, so he squinted to see her better. A vacuum ran in his hand… He'd been staring at a wall for how long before she called his name?

"Sorry, Sakura." He turned off the vacuum. "What was it?"

"Dinner's ready. Taiga should be here any moment, and…" She blushed. "Uh, ummm…" Her hands folded together, and her head bowed. "Senpai… can I stay the night?"

Social norms, consequences, and meager things like what she'd wear to bed weren't even considered. Sakura asked for help indirectly. With Shinji not in the Matou manor, she wanted to be here tonight. He wanted to help people, so who was he to deny it? The boy titled his head to the side and grinned. "Sure!"

Shirou was an empty person. Whatever he was burned in the great fire leaving only a body and a borrowed dream. His father wanted to be a Hero of Justice but failed. No one can save everyone. Shirou figured that was as good of a dream as any and wanted the happiness he saw when his father saved him.

He was about to learn for himself why he couldn't save everyone.

_Shirou lowered his hand and waited to die. If Father arrived moments later, he would've died. Even so, one thing struck him as odd despite being only five and having lost his home, family, and memories. Something outshone the countless stars. _

_A great grail floated in the night sky and poured what looked like hell's damnation into the fire._


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura felt an enrapturing dichotomy between terror and bliss. Tonight, she slept under the same roof as Senpai, as if she was his wife. It didn't matter they lied in different rooms. Her fantasies became a tantalizing illusion, so she entertained them without restraint.

More often than not, the time of moonlight meant time in the basement. On the better days, it meant her bare back pressed against the damp, stone floor as worms slithered about her body. On worse days, not even her back found a respite from those damned creatures, her body fully engulfed.

In the rare instance where her grandfather saw fit to let her sleep in her room, she pulled the covers overhead like she did as a child. Why wouldn't she? Children hid from imagined monsters. Her house had actual monsters. A harsh stillness blanketed the mansion at night as if sound feared to reveal itself. She only heard the thud of her heartbeat and the rasp of her breathing. She would've heard the same lying in a buried coffin.

But Senpai's house… The night pulsated with enrapturing life! A clock ticked in the hallway. The faint murmurs of the neighborhood snuck past the walls. She could almost imagine Senpai tossing and turning in his bed, but those paled in comparison to a single factor.

She wore Senpai's shirt to bed!

The shirt's hem went just past her upper thigh. The fabric fitted loosely around her. Whenever she moved, the shirt brushed passed her skin and made her shiver. The girl pulled the collar of the shirt up to her nose and sniffed his faint scent. It mixed with the lavender remnant of detergent to create a smell more wonderous than a forest of cherry blossoms.

_Senpai!_

Sakura held no belief that she'd sleep, and that didn't bother her a bit. In Senpai's house. In Senpai's spare room. In Senpai's spare bed. In Senpai's shirt. In Senpai's aroma. In Senpai's embrace!

_He's a really nice guy. That's why I won't ever get to be with him._

Despite the bliss, terror filled every orifice of her soul. The magus half suspected her Crest Worms will attack her at any moment, drive her into excruciating agony until she forced herself to stumble home. Grandfather never said she could stay the night. Why would he? She never asked. In a rare moment of total accordance between her personality's outward and suppressed sides, she wanted to be here. In a sense, she was no different than an insect attracted to a flame.

She decided to tell Senpai not to wait for her at school. It'd make things easier. Maybe Grandfather would take pity on her and let her out of the basement after twenty-four hours. She'd miss just one day of school, hardly a thing to worry about. For certain, he'll drain her of every drop of Od, and the worms will release their aphrodisiacal chemicals. Three options stemmed from that. Drink someone's blood, procure someone's semen, or die. Not one optioned looked pleasing.

_Shirou will help if asked._

She knew not one person who could help her. The teen knew suffering and pain. Even so, she couldn't use her suffering as an excuse to justify hurting or dirtying others. If she did, she'd be immoral… more immoral.

Footsteps.

Sakura recognized Senpai's footsteps. For a fleeting second, she envisioned of Senpai opening her door and professing his love. He'd carefully take off her shirt and reach-

_Focus._

She shook her head. The sounds became more and more distant. Where was Senpai going? The clock rang four times a while ago, and Senpai never woke before five thirty. He told her that himself. Curious, she pushed off her covers and crept after his feint sound. Barelegged and barefoot, she shivered from the morning chill. The back door slid open and shut, so she concluded he headed for his workshop.

Senpai showed her the place once. Several broken pieces of machinery like heaters were strewn about the room. He placed tools in haphazard locations. Her upperclassman earned a reputation as a handyman, and his little shed in the backyard provided an opportunity for self-improvement in that field. Had he gone to the building in the evening, she would've thought nothing of it. Doing so in the early morning? Just… why?

Most people would've noticed the cold biting their bare feet, but Sakura moved in silence after waiting a few minutes, masked by the sudden chirping of insects. Her breath clouded into fleeting wisps and goosebumps traveled up her spine. Undaunted, she stopped by a window and peered inside.

Senpai sat on the floor, his face twisted into deep concentration. Perspiration formed on his brow and dampened his hair. His right arm tensed. Was he sick? He held some trivial piece of metal in his hand. Was Senpai hurt?

Glowing green lines formed over the metal. Sakura's eyes widened in shock. Her biological father used that magic around her a few times… before they abandoned her. He used Reinforcement. The metal shattered in his hand, and Senpai winced in pain. Even to a magus, discovering a normal person who knew about the moonlit world would surprise them, but Sakura didn't consider herself to be a magus nor was she technically one. If anything, she acted as a magical battery for Grandfather to feed off to sustain his life.

She didn't hesitate to open the door.

"Something that small shouldn't hurt with Reinforcement." Not a trace of her soft-spoken nature could be found in her blunt statement. His head shot up and saw Sakura standing with her hands on her hips. She stared at him like a little sister scolding her brother for burning toast. If not for her half-dressed state, most men would gulp. Instead, her half-dressed state guaranteed any man would gulp.

Even though she didn't break any rules due to his display at some magical knowledge, those thoughts couldn't be farther from her head. Magecraft killed the most experienced for the smallest mistakes. She remembered how her father and Uncle Kariya used Reinforcement, and neither felt pain from something so insignificant. Senpai did something wrong, so Senpai could die. Sakura must ensure that could not happen regardless of the cost.

Meanwhile, the simultaneous bombshells of a scolding Sakura, a barelegged Sakura, and a Sakura who discovered his Magecraft short-circuited the poor boy's brain. He stammered something incomprehensible before jolting in shock at a thought unfathomable mere seconds ago. "You're a magus, Sakura?"

She stood with the moon behind her as the girl gathered her thoughts. Her shadow casted over Senpai's form. "My grandfather and late uncle. I'm untrained, though my Magic Circuits are used and haven't atrophied."

Despite the revelations, Senpai saw a more pressing concern. "You're shivering. Let's talk inside, shall we?" Without waiting for a reply, he stood on wobbly legs. The duo entered the house, and he said, "I'll get you a blanket."

Sakura nodded. Too many thoughts needed to be straightened. How will this effect Grandfather? Doesn't she technically have to inform the Second Owner about an unregistered magus? Was Senpai hurting himself permanently with Magecraft? How will he think of her? She really wanted to-

_Bang him._

To protect Senpai.

"Here you go." He draped a thick blanket over her shoulders. It smelled like lint and Senpai, so she loved it. They walked to the dining table, and they sat on opposite sides. The entire time, he smiled at her like he always did. That comforted her. "My father taught me a little before he died. Structural Analysis and Reinforcing are all I can do. You said I was doing something wrong?" He titled his head to the side. "Oh, and how are your circuits not dissipating after you use it?"

Amateur. Sakura concluded that part immediately along with the fact that his father might've been the most incompetent teacher in the history of Magecraft. "Did you know the Second Owner could kill you for not registering?"

"Who?"

"And Magic Circuits don't dissipate."

"What?"

Sakura held up a finger. "You and, by association, I are in danger." She mentally listed the magi in this city and their probable responses. Not one was good. "Grandfather will feed you to worms. Kirei Kotomine will report you to… the Second Owner, and she will probably kill you."

Senpai paled, not because he could die. He didn't care about that. No, he worried about her, and that feeling made her feel very warm despite their situation.

She cursed getting the damned Grail War and her Command Spells. If neither happened, she could've remained blissfully unaware of his experiments into… She should be glad. Senpai could've died. In the long run, this could save his life if he won't be killed along the way.

Grail War…

_I'll make him MINE. He'll help me._

"Magi can take an apprentice. I…" She looked at the ground. "I'm mostly untrained, but that doesn't stop me from being a magus. You are going to be my apprentice and champion." She pointed at him. Every aspect of her personality, hopeful and corrupt alike, pushed in accordance. Meek Sakura simply wanted to be with her Senpai. The side kept hidden and cultivated from years of abuse wanted an ally. This darker aspect was no fool and knew she needed help to win the grail.

"Within a year or two, Senpai, a war will occur here. A secret war. Eight years ago, my uncle died in it. Seven magi summon seven servants in a battle royal, heroes who could destroy this entire city if they felt like it. The winner gets any wish granted."

He swallows. "People will die."

"They could." She showed him the back of her hand. He somehow believed it was just a bruise when she used that as an excuse. "So can I. I never asked to be in it, but I am. Help me."

"Sure."

"Sure?"

Senpai nodded. "Yeah, I'll help you to protect others including you." He scratched the back of his head. "I'm a bad mage, but I think you'll help me get better. Why wouldn't I help?"

She stared at him for minutes while he politely waited for a response. He leapt at an opportunity for almost certain death just because she asked. He took her words at face value and laid his magical future at her feet. What?

The girl held out her hand to shake. "I don't know how to make a contract, so we'll shake. I, Sakura Matou, swear to train you in Magecraft as best and safely as I can. In return you, Shirou Emiya, will act as my apprentice and help me in any reasonable way you can."

_That includes sex._

His warm hand envelopes hers. "Okay, Sakura."

She held his hand for perhaps a little bit longer than needed, but Senpai didn't complain. The girl steeled herself in face of her upcoming trials, temporarily empowered by a semi-insane subconscious that wanted a powerful Senpai.

"First, we will make breakfast." She stood up from the table. "Then, I will figure out a way to make Grandfather not kill you. Oh, and make a lunch for Taiga too. I think we might spend today at my house, so leave a note saying you're helping me since… you're helping me."

"Okay." He stretched and strolled into the kitchen. Sakura skipped into her bedroom and slipped out of his shirt. She used yesterday's school uniform. His shirt may have been placed in her school bag as well.

Despite the gravity of the situation, the duo cooked a breakfast in silence besides the chopping of vegetables and the clanking of cooking ware.

He became her apprentice, so Tohsaka and Kotomine won't do anything to harm him. That left her grandfather, a person who wouldn't hesitate to consume a magus. The worms made females desire sex, but they ate men. He'll either kill Senpai for his Mana or use him as a hostage. Neither seemed appealing.

_There is no way Senpai won't be hurt or killed by Grandfather._

She scratched at her hand.

_So, ensure he'll never have the chance._

Kill Grandfather? She can't kill Grandfather! She has a Crest Worm next to her heart. She'd have to die to kill him, and she couldn't be with Senpai if she died.

Her hand burned.

Why couldn't life be easier when all she just had to lie in the clew of worms and through Shinji's brutality? She wanted to be with Senpai. Nothing more, nothing less. She wanted Senpai to be save and happy. She needed him to be happy, but Grandfather will find out because of her. That meant her actions will kill Senpai. She'll kill Senpai!

"Sakura?"

What? Who said that?

"Sakura, I think you're using Magecraft. Would you want me to finish chopping the vegetables for you?"

Senpai…

Everything became darker. The lights lost their luster. Colors became grey. The world spun, or was it her vision? Nothing made sense. Did she become shorter? No, she slid onto the floor. Sitting? Yes, sitting. She sat.

Senpai looked worried. Was he fading away? Sounds echoed. Her body numbed, swallowed by a burning sensation. The worms slithered under her skin, delighted. Why? Mana. They gorged themselves on Mana, not her Od. What? How?

Her mind felt fuzzy, like waking up from a deep sleep. Magecraft. Matou Magecraft built itself around the concept of absorption. Somehow, she acted like a conduit, taking all the Mana from the atmosphere. Was that even possible?

Senpai grimaced. His arms shook. No! Not just the atmosphere! All Prana, Mana and Od alike. She drained the world and everyone around her. If Senpai grimaced as a magus, then were other people alright? That didn't matter. Only Senpai mattered.

Why was she draining everything? Spells didn't start themselves. She did something. What was it?

"Sakura!"

She felt two hands on her shoulders. Warm hands. Soothing hands. The girl looked up and saw a scared face, Senpai's face.

She was with Senpai. Everything will be alright now. Her vision blackened into the bliss of oblivion. Running off mostly animalistic instinct, she grabbed the back of his head and pulled.

* * *

Shirou sighed. Whatever happened to Sakura stopped after he shook her out of it. He didn't know what Magecraft she used, but it made him exhausted. He had half a mind to fall asleep that very moment, but Sakura held his head and had it smashed into her shoulder. She could feel sore from his position, so he wriggled his way out of her grasp.

It didn't help that his body screamed in unimaginable pain. To best describe the feeling, it reminded him of how he practiced magic, a red-hot iron rod getting jammed into his spine. Except, he now felt that twentyfold. He wanted to curl onto the floor and scream, but Sakura would feel more comfortable in a bed. What kind of host would he be to let guest sleep on the kitchen floor?

With shaking arms and legs, he took Sakura in his hands and stumbled into his room. Not once did he bump her into walls, taking the brunt of his errors on his shoulders. He laid her on the bed before closing the door behind him. He faceplanted on the floor and cried silent tears. What kind of monster would he be to wake her up with moaning and screaming?

_Screaming. So much screaming. Burning. Screaming. Dying._

So there he remained and twitched like a tased cockroach. He cursed himself for not helping Sakura sooner and leaving breakfast unprepared on his kitchen counter. What if she woke up hungry? She made him her apprentice, not that he had any real idea what that meant, but his new position gives him magic legal protection… or something like that. He wasn't sure. At the very least, she deserved breakfast.

He couldn't do anything, not enough strength. All he lied on the floor and listened to bugs chirping. Chirping?

"Kakaka." The laughter sounded more like a dying breath than something happy. He didn't hear footsteps, just the thunking of wood on wood. He never heard a door open, but someone was in his house. Shirou pushed himself to his feet. He must protect Sakura!

An old man entered the hallway from the dining room. His cane hit the ground a final time, and he rested his weight on the tool. The man looked more maggot than human. Sunken eyes, a skull-like head, a toothy smile, pale skin, short and crooked stature. His very presence screamed of power and danger.

Considering Sakura's apparent fear of her grandfather, Shirou felt confident at this… person's identity. "Zouken Matou?" he grunted.

"Shirou Emiya." Where was all the chirping coming from? "Of all the places for Sakura to have gone tonight, I didn't think she'd discover a fellow magus."

"I'm her apprentice now."

Her laughed again in his scratchy, gurgling manner. "Idiots leading the blind…" He shook his head. "You calmed her."

It wasn't a question. He knew. "I did." He leaned against the wall, unable to stay upright without assistance.

"Draining you of your Od opened your circuits. You'll be fine in a day." He turned around and walked out of the hallway. From the other room, he called out, "You stopped her. Take responsibility. She's welcome to visit and use my library, but you'll keep her. Too unstable."

The wood-on-wood thunking stopped along with the chirping. Shirou sat on the ground and breathed out slowly. He had no idea what was happening, but Sakura seemed safe now. Everyone seemed safe. That's what mattered.

_He left everyone to die. Only he lived._

Then, Zouken's words hit him like a bullet. His eyes widened in fear and realization. She'll be so unhappy! Because of him, her grandfather no longer welcomed her into his home. How will she ever forgive him? He failed her.

"Damn it," he muttered. His fists clenched. "What kinda Hero of Justice am I? I can't even protect one of my friends." It wasn't much of a trial. He only could've called three people his friends. Shinji was one until they had a falling out. He heard some rumors about him bullying his little sister, and the boy didn't deny it. Issei was another. Though the boy had a serious presence, he'll make a good monk like his forefathers. He added a new friend, or she added him. Now, he robbed Sakura from her home two days after she lost her brother. "I'm pathetic."

An even more horrifying thought came to mind. Taiga will arrive for breakfast. What could he say?

Hi Taiga, I'm living with a girl now.

Taiga, Sakura and I are magicians, but she's staying with me since her powers are iffy.

Taiga, please don't mind the girl in my bed.

"I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead!" he stammered. He put Sakura in his room, so she slept in his bed. He won't move her because that might wake her. Whatever she did, it didn't make sense, but it took a lot of Mana. She needed sleep. On the other hand, he'd better check on his friend. Who knows what kinda side effects could be happening?

Were those sirens outside? He hoped no one was hurt, but he knew to leave it to the professionals. Since magi tended to keep their secrets, he couldn't call the hospital and tell them his friend hurt herself with magic.

The pain hadn't lessened yet, but his body acclimated to it. He took labored footsteps into his room. Sakura didn't move besides the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest. Smiling, he placed his hand on her forehead, and registered warmth in between the molten inferno of pain in his nervous system. Maybe it had something to do with permanent Magic Circuits? It felt like he has almost two dozen different jabs of pain, and it'd sorta suck if it'll feel like this from now on.

_How much did everyone suffer as the flames devoured flesh from bone?_

Shirou covered his friend and now teacher with a thin blanket. He had no idea if her small fever originated from an actual cold caused by her Magecraft or from her body overheating because of her Magecraft. He cursed himself for not knowing much of anything about the magical realm. His ignorance could hurt her, and he didn't like that.

At the very least, that bruise, which wasn't actually a bruise and something magic-related, didn't glow anymore. Since it glowing coincided with her incident, it seemed that storm had passed.

After Sakura wakes up and them surviving Taiga, things looked up for their situation. Zouken won't kill them which meant she won't worry about that anymore. The priest Kirei Kotomine and the unnamed Second Owner will accept his presence thanks to Sakura's offer of apprenticeship. He really did have a nice friend. He had a lot of questions for her, like… What's a Second Owner?

He pushed the unanswerable questions to the back of his mind and steeled himself to finish making that confounded breakfast. It was unbecoming of a chef to leave a meal unfinished, and he won't let agonizing pain get in his way. Plus, Taiga might eat his arm knowing her. With her, who knows?

In the comfortable realm of cooking, his mind drifted from the worries of the moment. Besides being a Hero of Justice, he deeply enjoyed cooking. More specifically, he enjoyed cooking for others. There was something about eating with friends, guests, or strangers that made him happy. Knowing he made their day just a little better with a good meal… it felt like completing the final piece of a puzzle.

_The fire consumed everything, including everything inside of him. He was nothing but hollow existence who wore the flesh of a human._

He lost the finer details of motor control. Knives dropped. A bowl shattered. He even made the most grievous of sins and dropped a perfectly good vegetable on the floor. Even so, he not only completed three cold breakfasts but also a lunch for Taiga. The fact that he completed his morning routine brought comfort to him on this most irregular day.

He glanced at the clock. It wasn't even six o'clock yet? Maybe he should pass a few minutes by watching the news. As much as he wanted to stay with Sakura in her fevered state, he only knew her for a few weeks. While girls in general confused him at times, he didn't trick himself into thinking that she'd want him to watch her sleep. That's sorta creepy.

The tv turned on to his neighborhood. Huh…

"…and other than the minor injuries from the four confirmed car accidents, no one suffered harm beyond extreme exhaustion. Authorities have yet to disclose what-"

He turned off the tv. Sakura had enough troubles to deal with already. Whatever she did, it was out of her control. A Hero of Justice wouldn't defeat someone who accidentally hurt people, right? Not if it was just exhaustion… No, a Hero of Justice will help that person learn to control her powers, and that's exactly what he'll do!

Someone knocked on the door, startling him from his thoughts. Taiga? She slept later than six. It couldn't be Sakura since she already stayed in his house. He hobbled to the door and wondered if the pain died down or if his body accepted it like smelling inside a sewer too long.

"I'm coming." He kept his voice normal, not revealing his arduous pain. How was Sakura doing? He'll check after talking to his unknown guest. He unlocked the door and opened it. Before he could say a greeting or ask who stood before him, the guest opened her mouth.

"Emiya?" Her voice somehow held the venom of a predator and the innocence of a schoolgirl at the same time. Long, black hair. Red jacket. School uniform. Why was she here?

"T-t-t…" He gulped, confused once again on this autumn morning. "Come in?"

His guest nodded and stepped inside. Her footsteps moved into the hallway as he closed the front door. He followed her. She stood waiting with her hands on her hips.

She smiled, a charming and bloodthirsty smirk which terrified him since he didn't know such an expression was even possible. "Emiya." She used her right hand's thumb and pointer finger to make an L or a gun, then she pointed it right at him. "Why did I trace a massive spell's focal point to your house?"

Shirou concluded he stood across from the Second Owner. Remembering what Sakura told him, he replied, "I'm Sakura's apprentice, and she accidentally did some spell. I think I stopped her? She seemed worried about the Second Owner killing me, so she put me under her protection. Something like that? Oh, and Zouken left about thirty minutes ago and told me he sorta kicked her out. She's now in my bedroom. Do you know why she'd feel hot to the touch?" His right arm spasmed. "Oh right, I'm also in excruciating pain from all that, and I'm worried she might be hurt. Do Second Owners help other magi, Tohsaka?"

The girl in question and the school idol stared at Shirou as if he explained the sun was green. Her head slowly tilted to the left and her mouth opened at a steady pace. Abruptly, she stiffened. Having lost both her playful and dangerous tones, she spoke with surprising authority, "Where's Sakura?"

"Here." Sakura opened his door and stepped out. She didn't show any sighs of sickness or fatigue, just the smiling girl he came to know. An eternity passed in that moment. Tohsaka watched his friend with an intensity he couldn't place. Worry? Fear? He didn't know her well enough to determine the sentiments, but he saw strong emotions behind her serious face.

On the other hand, Sakura's smile acted like a mask because he did know her well enough to understand that much. She held her arms behind her back to hide that marking. She shifted more than normal. Her eyes made minute glances in Tohsaka's direction before focusing on the floor. He didn't think she feared the Second Owner. If anything, Sakura looked uncomfortable, as if she couldn't decide how to act around the other girl.

Well, she didn't have any other friends, and he's a guy. Maybe she wasn't good with acquainting herself to other girls? Her soft words focused him back on the conversation. "Don't worry about me." She swallowed. "And I'll try to avoid doing that spell again. Please forgive me, Tohsaka Senpai." Her head jerked up, and she eyed their guest. "And he is my apprentice."

After letting out a frustrated groan, the Second Owner looked from the girl back to the host. She rubbed her eyes in frustration before declaring, "We are going to sit down and have a long discussion."

* * *

Rin Tohsaka fell asleep with several preconceived notions that subsequently shattered the next morning. She awoke not on her own, but from a faint tugging which in the back of her mind. Let it be known to all that Rin was a magus and prodigy but not a morning person. To wake her before the proper time drew similarities with throwing explosives into a burning building.

She withheld screaming in frustration as she threw on today's clothes sluggishly. She may have fallen asleep for a minute or two afterwards, but rage pushed her to confront the perpetrator. Some idiot completed Magecraft draining enough to wake her, and it was her job as Second Owner to stop the idiot before he exposed himself.

_A girl prodded her awake to be the first to wish her a happy birthday. _

Despite being fifteen, she excelled in some of the more violent Magecraft, and she concluded neither Kotomine nor the hermit Zouken would've made that spell. If the unregistered fool wanted to resist, she'll make him regret it.

She glanced at one of her clocks. It wasn't even six.

Screw giving him a chance! He's dead! She marched out of her house and down the street, sensing the residence of whatever woke her. It held all the hallmarks of a Bounded Field, one beyond even her capabilities.

_She watched her walk away with that old man. If she was stronger, maybe Father wouldn't have had to send the scared girl away for her own protection. _

She felt confident. Her prowess could overcome whatever rogue moron who believed slighting her wouldn't result in injury or death. Actually, not death. She'll just make him wish for death instead.

The girl observed her surroundings in case of an ambush. Doing one against her was suicidal, but that blasted fake priest Kotomine taught her the importance of situational awareness. She walked by a car wreck with two drivers too tired to seemingly care. In fact, everyone she was looking tired. Low Od? Then, she realized something more disconcerting. The Mana in the air felt dry which would make all spells more difficult. What kind of distorted bounded field had that much pull?

She came prepared. The Tohsaka family specialized in Jewel Magecraft. Since the body could output only so much Mana at once, she stored her excess Mana in jewels, an efficient storage container. When needed, she could release all the energy at once at the cost of a jewel. The cost sucked, but one of her charged jewels could blast a man to kingdom come. She had twelve in her pockets.

_Two girls snuck into Father's basement to simply gaze at his pretty jewels._

Unconcerned about the people around her, she weaved through the streets to the epicenter. Plus, these people will die if hit with another Bounded Field of this odd nature. She's doing them a favor. Adrenaline pumped through her veins. She never had to deal with a rouge magus before, so this excited her in a way.

Then, she stopped and stared at the house, the focal point of the former Bounded Field. Almost in the middle of a quaint neighborhood, a large Japanese-style house stood discreetly. Up until a few weeks ago, she never heard of the place. Then, rumors started. A certain girl happened to start visiting a certain boy after he sustained an injury. Of course, she investigated once, not because she particularly cared about either of them. She's a magus, and magi live stoically. She just wanted to be sure that the Matou heir didn't get mixed up with the wrong people. That's all!

_On the day she left, Rin gave her sister a ribbon. She never saw Sakura without it._


	3. Chapter 3

Rin felt the desperate need to bang her head on the table, not because such an action would benefit her. In fact, it would only cause her pain and perhaps a bruise. Why did she feel this way? Simple. The unnecessary reaction would give a helpful indicator, so the other two would know how much this situation irritated her. The past twenty minutes of conversation exasperated her to no end.

However, Rin raised herself to be a proper magus; therefore, she elected to pinch the bridge of her nose.

"So let me get this straight." She pointed at Emiya, who looked as though he accidentally strangled a puppy. "You've been practicing Magecraft in my city for years, was raised by a magus who I never heard about, and now you're housing a teenage girl without first consulting your legal guardian and MY English teacher?"

Unlike a sane person, Emiya seemed indifferent about his mortal danger. She technically had the legal rights to kill him for his past transgressions, and Taiga won't approve of such nonstandard living arrangements. Yet, that didn't concern him. He blamed himself for causing any trouble for Sakura, future trouble for Taiga, and a massive headache for Rin. His reputation for constantly helping others reached her ears a few years back, so perceiving himself as the root of a problem must've been driving him mad. It serves him right for being an idiot.

"And you." She pointed at Sakura, who appeared as though they were having a proper brunch. That disturbed her a bit, since it meant the girl was great at hiding emotions behind her normal disposition. "You've been legally practicing Magecraft for a decade without me sensing it at all, only to lose control after fearing the Matou head would kill Emiya."

"Yes, Tohsaka Senpai." She answered as though Rin asked if the weather felt nice today. Was her peer merely that good at shrouding herself, or was she pitifully bad at knowing anything that happened in her city?

"And you'll make a Workshop in Emiya's shed, who you'll also be teaching even though all he can do is Reinforce and Structurally Grasp?" She shook her head. "I almost forgot. You still have access to the Matou library, so you'll learn that way."

"That's right." The only boy in the room nodded. "I'll be sure to keep her safe and not to break any more rules." From her peripheral vision, Sakura's cheeks took a reddened tint. Adding onto the other blushes, the subtle glancing, and how Shirou broke Sakura out of a potentially A-rank spell with a single touch…

_"Rin, I'm gonna marry Daddy when I grow up!" _

Rin cleared her thoughts. "I have, um…" Outside of the three cutthroat branches of the Mage's Association, magi helping magi only occurred if they married for the more efficient breeding of an heir. Family Magecraft was protected above all else. Nobody helped without receiving something of equivalent value in return.

_"You're the best big sister ever."_

She crossed her arms and looked away from her two magical peers. The prodigy didn't know it, but she partially mumbled the next bit. "Since you're both worried about Taiga and I can't risk Magecraft becoming public, I'm highly proficient in Memory Manipulation. I can convince Taiga she allowed Sakura to stay due to extenuating circumstances."

She waited for a response. Emiya titled his head to the left, and Sakura looked at the floor. While she felt mild disappointment with his obliviousness, Sakura's response unsettled her. No, that was a lie. It terrified her. Rin had absolutely no knowledge on Matou Magecraft beyond in specialized in using familiars and absorbing Prana, but the spell the girl completed was dangerous. She took in enough Prana to kill her body a hundredfold by simply overheating her circuits and kill over a thousand people through absorbing their Od. None of her gems could hold that amount, but Rin couldn't detect any extra energy. It vanished. Gone. Arguably, the Mage Association could slap a Sealing Designation on Sakura for that fact alone.

Despite all of that, Sakura didn't know how to cast Memory Manipulation. She never indicated she knew what it even was. It made as much sense as performing Non-Euclidean geometry in your head without knowing your multiplication tables. If Sakura was as inexperienced as Rin suspected, the girl should never have been able to cast something so damned powerful… accidentally! And it didn't kill her. And it gave her a small fever for a few minutes.

She clarified her statement. "I'll use harmless mind magic on Taiga. She'll think you sharing the same roof will be fine." They both nodded. She pointed in the bedrooms' general direction. "And go to bed, Emiya. Your circuits all opened since you never did Magecraft right ever." She shook her head. "I'll have to check if anyone else suddenly has awakened circuits." A better idea came to mind. "You know what? I'll have that fake priest do it."

"I'm fine, Tohsaka. It isn't that-"

She interrupted him. "It'll give me a reason for why Sakura stayed the night. The fewer lies I tell Taiga, the easier this'll be for me."

"Okay." Without further complaint, he exited the dining room. She heard the bedroom door close a moment later. Rin truly felt at loss. He didn't care about a very painful ordeal effecting his entire nervous system, but he did care if he did something that slightly inconvenienced her.

"Senpai is like that." Sakura's breathing and movements became slightly jerkier. She felt uncomfortable to be with her one-on-one.

_"Sakura, wanna play?"_

"Oh," was all the older girl got out. What else could she say? How's the weather? Normal magi traded barbs, gloated about their Magecraft without revealing anything, or searched for any way of murdering the other. None of those made sense in their situation, so Rin had no clue on how to proceed besides enduring most painfully loud stint of silence ever. They just sat on either side of the table. She stared at Sakura while Sakura's gaze never strayed from her lap.

Could they talk about normal girl things? To be honest, Rin didn't do much of that. While already the school idol in her first year of high school, it led to more admirers rather than conversations. She had school to do and helping others learn anyway. Her personality could be described as perfectionist to a fault, the model student and model magus.

"Sakura," she started but stopped, quickly dismissing the irrational idea of asking her how school's been going. After a minute of despair thought, she gave up and allowed her entire statement to become a single word.

Sakura must've concluded that she was at fault and needed to reply. "Yes, Tohsaka Senpai?" Other than her mouth, the girl didn't move.

"I… Um, the ribbon looks nice." How was this so hard?! "It still compliments your features." That was the last thing she ever gave Sakura, wasn't it? The Matou heir always had it tied in her hair.

The purple-haired girl swallowed. "And, ah… Your coat. It's red. You look pretty." She noticed as Sakura's eyes glanced in Shirou's direction during the last bit. Why?

Oh…

OH!

Until now, she didn't know exactly why Sakura started coming to this house. Unlike the exasperatingly popular Shinji, his sister never forged a social group… Not that she was watching her or anything! Choosing Shirou, a universally know Nice Guy, when he couldn't really refuse might've just been a way to create a friend. Since the idiot hadn't awoken his circuits yet, she knew it couldn't be due to anything related to magi. Also, fate didn't exist.

However, she concluded Sakura wasn't looking for a friend or at least JUST a friend. Maybe she intended to keep it that way? Whatever. Despite not interacting with Sakura for almost a decade, Rin determined Sakura liked Shirou.

That didn't bother her at all because she didn't like or admire the helpful, selfless boy.

"And one other thing, about Emiya." Rin couldn't quite place it, but Sakura's countenance almost darkened. No, not darkened. Emptied? Hollowed? "I'll be, er… rooting for you." Her head jerked up, and Sakura's eyes bore into hers looking for any trace of deceit. Rin already knew there wasn't any. "I think your descendants will make powerful mages."

Sakura's cheeks turned red as a tomato. Rin's definitely didn't either. Magi DON'T blush.

"Thank you, Tohsaka Senpai." She smiled.

And that was it. They didn't say anything else and let the silence smother them until Taiga showed up; however, that bothered neither of them. This time, it felt like a good silence.

* * *

The house felt empty because it was empty. Her brother no longer stayed in his room. She slept in a house different than this mansion. Her grandfather couldn't be found, nor did he leave any trace of his Magecraft behind. Just the library.

Zouken Matou vanished.

Most hours, he dispersed his consciousness across his hoard of worms. It took more energy to form worms into something mirroring man than simply being a worm. When he wanted to say something, he appeared and said it. Otherwise, she knew he was everywhere. In the basement. In scattered worms throughout the city. In the Crest Worm wrapped around her heart.

And yet, she found him in none. When walking to the mansion, she never sensed herself pass by a worm. Inside the mansion, she couldn't feel him. Even the basement, a slithering mass of the lecherous monsters, held nothing. Empty. She half thought herself to be crazy. Did the worms ever exist? But the worm around her heart existed still, albeit dormant. She couldn't sense him in that worm either.

This filled her with an emotion, but she didn't know what emotion that was. Exhilaration? Terror? Apathy? The feeling swirled in the pit of her stomach and churned to the top of her throat. It clenched around her neck like a stranglehold, but her breath came through undaunted. Her senses spiked as though a predator stalked her; however, every time she turned around, only empty rooms greeted her.

She wished she brought Senpai with her.

_I left him outside. Zouken isn't making sense unless…_

Sakura entered the library, a dusty place that smelled of mildew. Shinji spent countless hours inside pouring over book after book. It was the last time she didn't receive his ire. He never placed among the gentler kind of brothers, but he treated her like an annoying little sister. He yelled at her occasionally. Other times, he pushed her. Nevertheless, he tried to act the part of a big brother, a role forced upon him by their grandfather. He walked to school with her. He kept bullies from harassing her. He of all people introduced her to cooking.

Then Grandfather told him his hope and dream, becoming a Magus, was an impossibility. He possessed no magic circuits. As a man without lungs could not breathe, Shinji could never cast the most rudimentary of spells. Not only was he cursed to mediocracy, but Grandfather elevated her as his replacement, a Matou heir.

Shinji hid himself in the library for an entire summer scouring over books and scrolls. He searched for a solution or savior from the written verses of long-dead men. His efforts truly stood among the most determined of mages, but reality never cared for effort. He had no circuits. He had no potential. Thus, he emerged from the library a changed man, fully aware of his crippling inadequacy. Whenever he saw her, he saw his every fault highlighted. He hated himself for his failure, so he poured his hatred on her.

_To fall into despair after such trivial hardships. Pathetic. I endured in a minute what he endured over his lifetime. He held no excuse for what he did to me. He was a rich boy who young women adored for some inconceivable reason. Money. Power. Fame. FAMILY, or a at least a little sister. He had all the grasp of his hands, but what did he do? He cast them all aside for a childish, impossible dream._

Sakura coughed. Unlike the rest of the house, she never cleaned this room. After he gave up, Shinji never used it. Grandfather never used it. She hated Magecraft. Why bother cleaning the room full of supernatural knowledge?

She crossed her arms and huffed. Every family of magi held their own library of knowledge, or she assumed others did. Her original family had one. This one had one. It made sense for this to be common practice when the world at large knew nothing of magic. This library would have information of everything in the sense of a history book saying, "The Japanese lost during World War Two." It missed finer details, like how Japan suffered two atomic bombs on its populace but committed countless war crimes against soldiers, prisoners, and civilians. These writings held basic knowledge on Jewel Magecraft, but Tohsaka's library lined itself with thousands of texts.

She knew the Matou library kept knowledge on binding. Binding Prana through draining, binding familiars like Crest Worms, and creating seals that… bound. She knew precious little on the subject but felt confident that Senpai wouldn't care much for this Magecraft. Senpai was a hero, and she had access to the Magecraft of a villain.

It took little time to find an armful of tattered books and worn scrolls. Shinji loved dominance, and organization was a form of that. Every bookcase had its own subject, and every book was organized in alphabetical order. She grabbed the ones with less dust than the others. Those were the documents her brother read through the most, so she figured they'd help a budding magus. In a very ironic sense of fate, Shinji had helped his sister and an amateur magus learn Magecraft.

Sakura closed the door to the library and strode through the void halls. Her footsteps became like its heartbeat. She represented the final flickering soul in its domain. When she leaves, it shall die. When she comes back for more books, it will temporarily come back to life like a revived corpse. In a sense, she will kill the house again and again during her study of the supernatural.

She exited the house and looked at the corpse. It became a wooden shell over rot, like a dead bug's empty exoskeleton, and she killed it. Grinning, she walked to Senpai who immediately took the books from her arms.

"Thank you, Sakura." He smiled.

All other feelings gave way to an overwhelming warmth. "I only gathered books, and you would've gone with me."

He nodded. "But Zouken mentioned only you could take the books. I'm sorry I couldn't help you more."

"Um." Her heartbeat quickened and the world around her suddenly felt warm. Sakura wasn't a fool. She knew what she was feeling. "I'm happy to learn this with you, Senpai."

"Of course. This Holy Grail War will be dangerous. We'll need to be at our best to protect everyone." He paused to look up at the setting sun. "Well, it's getting late, and Taiga made me promise to not be out after dark. The pain isn't too bad anymore." He turned around and walked down the street. "Come on, Sakura. Let's go home."

She followed after him, disgusted by her own filthiness. He was nice to her, and she responded by lusting after him like a street harlot. She neither told him nor left him but pretended to be normal. What a pitiful existence.

_This body is fourteen years of age and subjected to aphrodisiacs. He's probably interested anyway. It's fine._

The worms consumed less Od from her since this morning. She didn't know why. At most, she could last a week at this rate before succumbing to the overpowering desire for copulation. Will she soil him with her flesh, or will she seek other sources like an adulterous slut? Either way, she'll hurt Senpai.

* * *

Shirou had a basic understanding of Magecraft. It used Prana which came from his magic circuits, circuits that proved far more useful than whatever he had been doing. Rin sounded sure he cannibalized a nerve to make one. Prana came from Mana, which saturated the atmosphere but remained dispersed, and Od, which all bodies generated. He could use Prana until his circuits overheat akin to overworking a muscle or he ran out of Od. Using Mana took much more preparation than the readily available Od.

He knew two spells well-enough to use, Structural Analysis and Reinforcing. Then, there were elemental spells. Everyone had their affinity which were normally Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Ether. Some magi had one. Others had two or more. Sakura said Rin had all five which made her unusual. After three days of trial and error, the two novices concluded neither of them possessed any of the five since they couldn't cast anything elemental.

That complicated things.

A person's element could be anything, so being non-standard meant both were at a loss. Sakura knew her element, Hollow. She had no clue what that meant, and Shirou couldn't fathom that as an element. Hollow was a state of existence. Emptiness was not a thing, and none of the books held any information on non-standard elements.

She also warned him that the Mage Association might dissect him for study. While he did like helping people, even he will avoid the magi community. How could he help people without his limbs? Then again, they might kill him through dissection. Either way, he'll elude that ending.

_Hundreds ended while he survived._

Without much else to go on, he and Sakura had precious little to learn. Most Magecraft had a basis in an element or a family crest. They had neither, though Sakura mentioned she had something like a crest. She didn't elaborate, so he didn't press her.

What did that mean? It meant he sat on his workshop's floor experimenting with tiny Bounded Fields. Of all the Matou Magecraft, some of it involved this branch. It needed no element, and he could cast them… hypothetically. They happened to be complex.

Sakura sat in a chair on top of a rug. He saw no purpose for a rug until they started working together. The cold cement floor bothered her, so the boy bought a rug yesterday. It took up half the workshop, so they decided to christen it Sakura's half. She flipped through an old Matou book on Od absorption. He thought that Magecraft a macabre, but he trusted her to not hurt others. He glanced at the cover and wondered what those symbols meant. The first spell she learned was a translation one. Maybe he should too.

He turned back to his Bounded Field attempt. They functioned in a wonderfully straightforward manner. Make a sigil. Pour some Prana into it. Watch the Bounded Field exist as it thus self-powered with Mana. As the name suggested, the spell created a barrier bound to a specific area through a sigil. His father set up a few around their house. All magi place a few around their homes. Some let Mana be more effectively absorbed by the field's creator. Others acted as a warning signal, like the one over his house. Some drain people or intruders until they die, and the Matou had dozens of those in their books.

The latter was the cause of his trouble. Both he and Sakura couldn't tell what the various sigils meant, so they didn't trust any of the Matou Bounded Fields. What if the one for detection also slightly drained people of their Od? They decided to make tiny Bounded Fields as tests, but Shirou had no clue how to change the size. Over a hundred times, he made a temporary sigil on the floor, put in enough Prana to start it, then destroy the sigil as the Bounded Field encompassed too much land. He wanted it no larger than a meter.

_The fire devoured block after block._

This was where the complicated part came in. How can he modify a field? He could copy the few sigils they found with illustrations, but he didn't know how to do anything but copy. At this rate, they might go to the countryside to practice in a forest. While horrible, he'd rather kill a bird accidentally instead of a human.

He pulled a trigger in his mind, almost like a gunshot. He let his Od trickle into his latest attempt at a tiny detection Bounded Field. It burned, but it paled in comparison to his normal agony. The sigils glowed and the field expanded. Sighing, he wiped the sigils. Adding a curl to the left sigil didn't change the size. Maybe Rin could help a little. Sakura didn't seem all that possessive about her family's Magecraft, so maybe they could do a trade? That could wo-

Shirou tensed.

Throughout their studies, he acclimated to a certain rhythm. Sakura turned a page. He studied sigils. She shifted in her chair. He asked her a question. Give and take; Yin and Yang. They learned separately and with each other simultaneously.

That was why just one second passed before he noticed something was amiss.

Sakura's relaxed posture stiffened. She didn't breathe. Her wide eyes stared at the book.

"Are you alright?" He stood and stood beside her. She remained engulphed by the book as her eyes glistened in the light. Tears. He never saw her cry before. "Sakura." No response. A tear trickled down her cheek. "Sakura." Nothing. The tear splashed on the rug. "Sakura!" He placed his hand on her shoulder.

She jumped off the chair and ran to the door. Not wanting her to be out of his sight when this terrified, he grabbed her wrist, though not hard enough to hurt her. "What's wrong?" he asked. "I'll help."

Another tear fell. Then another. Then another. Within a moment, a cascade of teardrops fell from her delicate face. She clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white. Her arms trembled in apparent rage, but her face never lost its terror. She needed help. She needed someone to support her.

Ignoring their opposing genders and young friendship, he pulled her close to him. Their bodies pressed together in a simple embrace. Her face pressed into his shoulder. Not a sound left her lips. Her arms remained by his side. Though this was the first time he ever initiated a hug, it wasn't a tender or serene moment. He enveloped her, shielded her. His body wrapped around hers to defend from whatever panicked her.

He held her against himself and chose to keep her that way for however long she needed. His arms grew stiff. His shirt became soaked in tears and snot. His legs ached, for she leaned into him. The boy could care less, though not because of his ambition. A Hero of Justice would do the same, but he held Sakura because she was his friend.

Her voice came out soft, but it lacked hesitation. It held a quiet power. "Let me go."

A hero would listen to the maiden, but a friend holds onto a friend. "Not until you tell me." He pulled her closer. Her heart thumped against his chest.

She whispered a single sentence. "Od can be absorbed though any bodily fluid."

Of all the things she could've said, he didn't expect those words. She told him that for a reason. Somehow, that disturbed her to the point of quiet sobbing. Why? He didn't know everything about her or Magecraft. His mind rushed through guesswork. Every person had Od. Sakura was a magus. Matou Magecraft used familiars and absorption. Sakura just learned her Magecraft could absorb Od though bodily fluid. No, ANY bodily fluid. She specified that. Learning that apparent truth hurt her emotionally.

His mind thought of vampires. Dead Apostles? His father mentioned they existed, and now they knew why vampires killed to drink blood. Did that upset and anger him? Absolutely; however, it wouldn't bring Sakura to tears. It had to be something different. Something worse. What was worse than drinking blood like a vampire? What was more disgusting than murder?

Rape.

He felt enraged that some might rape others for Od, but that wasn't it either. She felt rage, but horror held more prominence. Why?

Rape victim.

In that moment, reality felt like a nightmare. A revolting thought crossed his mind. Shinji's dalliances with over a dozen girls were well known. He lived in a family of magi. People suspected he bullied Sakura. He left under a week ago.

Shirou didn't want to believe it. The boy who wanted to be a superhero spent countless hours of his time with his young friend. Was he oblivious to her suffering? No! He shouldn't focus on himself.

_He selfishly left everyone to die. _

Was Sakura crying not because she was raped but because she was raped for no reason? He felt like he sank under a vast ocean, the crushing weight bore down on him. If he felt this much despair, how much more did she endure?

He didn't want to ask her. He didn't want to hear the words come from her lips. Gods, she was just a little girl. He asked her anyway. His voice sounded soft, not showing his rage at the idea and self-hatred for potentially missing it until now. "Did Shinji rape you?"

"I'm sorry."

Part of him wanted to run away, curl in a corner, and cry. Another part wanted to track down Shinji and kill him in the most painful, cruel manner imaginable. He pushed back both desires and focused on the girl who just apologized for getting raped. He had no idea what to say, but he spoke regardless.

"Don't apologize. This is your home now." He hugged her as hard as he could without hurting her. "If he comes back, I'll protect you. I'll kill him. Please, stay with me for a while." He wanted to call the police, but the world of Magecraft only wanted secrecy. If word of Od ever got out, the Mage Association may kill her, so it was up to him to guard her. "Please."

"I'm dirty!" she screamed. Her head turned up to him. Bloodshot eyes bore into his. "I begged again and again!" She tried to push him away, squirm out of his grip. "I'm a slut! I la-" Her voice broke from the strain. She continued in a murmur. "I couldn't last more than a few days. The worms wriggle… make me horny. I had sex with my brother. They still wriggle inside me, make me desire dirty things with you. I…" She closed her eyes. Her lips trembled. "I'm so sorry."

He wanted to be a Hero of Justice while the girl taking care of him was getting raped weekly. "I apologize, Sakura, for being a bad friend. Let me take responsibility." He recognized how many meanings that phrase gave. "I don't think you're dirty. If you need anything, I'll gladly give it."

Did he say that to be a hero? Did he pity her? Was he being a helpful friend? Did he like her just as a friend? He won't deny that she looked like her namesake. The cherry blossom, a pure beauty.

"I'm dirty." Her head shook back and forth. "I'll stain you."

He moved his head forward. Sakura froze. His lips touched her skin. Her forehead felt warm. He pulled back. She stared at him. "I'm still clean and so are you."

"S-Senpai." She shivered. His friend had been hiding this self-revulsion wth a mask of calm. He walked through a nightmare once, the great fire. She lived through it for… years? In that moment, he made a decision that lasted a lifetime.

He smiled not for himself but for her. He smiled to give her hope. "Help me save you, Sakura."

Sakura nodded. "Alright."


	4. Chapter 4

Rin stood on the school's rooftop and looked over the schoolgrounds. In a sense, it felt fitting. She guarded the city as its Second Owner which set her above and apart from everyone else. Humans were a social species who congregated to similar souls, yet Rin existed as an abnormality from the rest. All she could do was look down and watch.

She often took this position for lunch like today. No one bothered her as she ate her purchased meal. She set a quick Bounded Field to ward off any wandering students. The wind blew from the west and brought warmer weather. She felt a little warm in her jacket but decided to keep it on. If someone saw her holding it, she'd be admitting an error in taking it to school in the first place.

The door opened behind her. Emiya wasn't a wandering student, and he practiced Magecraft anyway. He'd sense the Bounded Field.

"Ah, Tohsaka." He nodded in her direction. Both of his hands carried bento boxes. OH? "Thanks for meeting me here."

"You better have a reason." She crossed her arms, which also highlighted she wasn't holding food. Why pass free food? More importantly, why pass Emiya's food if rumor was true?

He nodded and handed her one of the lunches. She snatched it before he'd change his mind. "That's, um, just because you agreed to meet me. I hope you like it."

She sat down and opened the box. Her mouth watered. "It seems fine." Without taking her eyes off lunch, she asked, "So what's your reason?"

"Oh, here." He opened his book bag and pulled out an ancient volume. "Just look at the page with the pink post-it note."

Setting aside her lunch, she murmured a quick translation spell for whatever language some old magus used. Probably Russian considering the source. Her eyes widened the moment the spell took effect. "Emiya," she deadpanned. "This is a book on Matou Magecraft."

"Yeah."

"And you handed it to a Tohsaka magus."

"Yep."

"And you stuck ten post-its inside, including a pink one."

"Sakura said I shouldn't use a highlighter, and I didn't want to fold any of the pages over."

She groaned. "What am I giving you in return?" While she didn't outwardly show it, her gaze never left the boy. Was he trying to trap her in something? Was he honestly just an idiot?

"Sakura and I just want to know if that Bounded Field will work as it says." He scratched the back of his head. "We're worried there might be some hidden drawback we missed. Sakura said she's fine with you using it as our payment for your services."

Access to another family's methods? She opened the book without another thought. The pages yellowed with age, but she never saw a Bounded Field quite like the one before her very eyes. The Matou's worked with binding, so she inferred this branch must've been advanced; however, the complexity of just this one field astounded her.

Five sigils worked in tandem for a single Bounded Field. The first acted as the foundation for the rest, a draining field that took Mana from a radius of about fifty meters. Not only did it drain, but it drained like a hole in a bathtub. As Mana depleted from the area inside the field, more came from outside. Even so, it went gradually enough that she'd never notice it unless she passed through the barrier.

The second surprised her. If anything, it seemed more like a Command Seal, such as the one Father had in the Grail War, than an actual sigil. Considering how it operated, it probably was a hybrid between the two. The sigil acted as a contract between the Bounded Field and a magus and funneled the gathered Mana into the magus. That also meant the magus etched the sigil onto herself, and it didn't apply when outside the effected area. She thought it was unnecessarily complex and pointless. Normal sigils could do the same without being applied to the body, and those only activated when the magus casted spells. This one operated always if the magus was within the minimum distance. It would eventually fill the recipient with too much energy if not expelled.

The third answered where the sapped Mana went if the magus left. It fired the Mana back into the atmosphere to keep the area in equilibrium.

The fourth and fifth simply acted as transfer pathways. One went from the original sigil to the sigil on the magus. The other went from the original to the expelling one.

Rin immediately concluded she could hijack this spell to VERY slowly fill gems without draining her Od.

"So, is it safe?" he asked in between bites… Bites? THAT JERK! He ate most of his meal while she did all the work. She answered him by shoving half the bento's food in her mouth. Her eyes lit up in wonder. It tasted SO much better than purchased lunched… or her cooking. He waited with a smile.

Taking a moment to breathe, she answered, "Besides the obvious impracticality of the field and the danger of absorbing too much energy without expelling it, it's safe." She dabbed her mouth with her napkin like a proper magus. "Also, this lunch is good. Thank you, Emiya."

He chuckled. "Ah, actually Sakura made these. I'm helping her improve her cooking, and she's a natural."

"Oh." The bento suddenly felt heavier in her hands. The meal took on a new meaning. She never had Sakura's cooking before.

_"Look, Sakura! I made you rice!"_

Lukewarm and soggy rice, actually. But, that was the only meal she could ever recall making her… fellow magus. She took another bite of the meal, this time with tender care. "In that case, tell her she has my deepest appreciation."

He sighed in relief. "She'll be glad to hear that." What? "Even though she was the one who suggesting giving you a bento, she was super serious about cooking it right. She woke up at four, and we're eating her third attempt. Just don't tell her I said that. I think she'd be embarrassed."

Rin breathed in sharply, as if punched in the gut. Damn it. Damn it! She didn't know how to respond, so her mind raced to change the subject. She found one when she noticed those bandages.

She pointed to his hand. He still had bandages wrapped around his left palm. How long ago since she saw it? Three days? "Just please tell me with didn't make a sigil with your blood. Those are notorious for backfiring in fascinatingly gruesome ways."

His eyes widened. "No! It wasn't that. We just, ah…" He blushed? At least she changed the subject. "We tried something. It worked, but Sakura didn't like it. There's two other ways, and we were going to use the second kind tonight." His cheeks were red. Definitely blushing. Why? "It's all safe. Well, safe in terms of Magecraft. Sakura is sure on that."

Nodding methodically, she answered, "Okay. Just don't kill anyone." She pointed her finger at him. "Including yourself!"

He bowed his head. "Yes, ma'am!" And he somehow completed that action without coming across as sarcastic.

She scrunched her nose. "You're an idiot."

* * *

Sakura watched her hand as if it would spontaneously combust, though she didn't think her action was odd. With Magecraft, such an outcome lied within the realm of possibilities, and her left hand did feel warmer than the right. A constant stream on magical energy trickled through.

Senpai insisted she observe the sigil for any sign of side effects. She wanted to help him make dinner, but he argued that she already made breakfast along with the lunches. As a result, she sat in the dining room and looked at a tattoo doppelganger. They took a small risk and drew the symbol over her Command Seals. It happened to overlay symmetrically and reminded her of an artistic flower. Why take such a risk? Tohsaka Senpai won't question the fingerless glove after hearing where they drew the sigil.

A smile found its way to her lips. Tohsaka Senpai appreciated her lunch, so that part of the day succeeded. She liked the feeling when others liked her cooking. It felt good.

_I proved myself the superior cook._

The girl focused inwardly for any change in the flow. She found none. The worms consumed the Prana before they affected her circuits, though she felt disappointed in the actual quantity. They hoped for more, but she'll conclude some of the Prana dissipated in the conversions. The worms needed more, but she'll last twice as long while within this Bounded Field. It wasn't like she'd prefer to be anywhere else. Senpai lived here…

_And so do we._

She clenched her fists. Senpai bled for her. He cut his hand, and she drank like some vampire. It worked. It worked! She loved and hated their result with every fiber of her being. Rape. Blood. Same result. Every violation, every hour of hopeless submission, every sore morning. It was for nothing. She endured hell for no reason besides being a hole for her brother.

_Grandfather wanted to break me._

They could've reached a conclusion. Until she won the Grail War and thereby her freedom, the teen could suck Senpai's blood weekly like a leech. Forced copulation or even required sex would become a distant, horrific memory. For the longest time, such a conclusion existed only as her most pitiable fantasies. Now? It hurt her. It pained her. Physical abuse was only that, physical, and she accepted herself as an unclean, defiled woman. The blood solution damaged her beyond words for one reason.

Senpai hurt himself for her.

The knife left a shallow wound that looked more like a red line than an actual injury. She pressed her lips against his skin and lapped the salty, iron-filled liquid. In his eyes, she saw acceptance. He didn't resent her for the wound, for it could bother him less. Senpai never thought of himself over others nor did he pity her. He wanted to help her, so he felt happy when he did.

It didn't change the fact that she hurt him. Over anything else in life, she didn't want to hurt her Senpai. It felt like dousing a campfire on a cloudy, moonless night. Why care if it fixed her if she felt disgusted with herself? If they continued, she'd end in one of two ways. Her soul would break under the revulsion, or worse… Hurting Senpai wouldn't bother her anymore. She'd rather die than that.

The day after her feeding, she told him the truth. He'd blame himself if she didn't, so she told him no matter how much she wanted to hide her turmoil from him. Instead of feeling annoyed when she rejected the least sexual method, he accepted her request. No more bleeding.

_Another excuse for sex and physical love I so badly desire._

"Shirou, Sakura, I'm hungry!" whined the least mature woman Sakura ever met as she practically kicked open their front door. She slipped on her glove before Taiga noticed and shook her head. She had let her thoughts wander again.

"Hello, Taiga," Senpai called from the kitchen. He whisked some liquid in a bowel. She forgot to ask what he planned for dinner and didn't mind having a surprise. "I'll be done soon. Sakura was feeling tired, so I asked her to rest."

She rested because they feared for her left hand, but Senpai's guardian didn't know that. "Owww!" The woman crossed her arms and pouted. "But I'm so hungry!" She sat down in a huff across the table. They stayed that way for a minute, and Sakura was fine with that; however, Taiga was not. She made eye contact with the younger girl and gave a predatory smile. While still new to this peculiar household, she quickly determined the teacher loved to tease. "And why are you tired, Sakura? Hmmm? Did you and Shirou keep each other awake doing naughty things?"

Somehow, the woman nine years older than her had the maturity of a nine-year-old. That didn't stop Sakura from blushing. Sex for the sake of love… Sex with Senpai… She blushed not due to embarrassment but excitement at her wonderful suggestion. Did that make her sullied? Probably.

She smiled, deciding to not back down from the teasing. "And if we were?" A metallic clank came from the kitchen, and Senpai made a gurgling sound. Taiga froze. "He is the man of the house, and we share most of the wife's duties. I cook, clean, and do laundry. You just eat food." She put her finger on her chin in fake contemplation. "That'd make you our child, wouldn't it? Taiga, would you rather have a little sister or a little brother?"

"Y-y-you!" The women pointed and half-screamed and half-stuttered. "Don't you corrupt my precious little brother!"

_Too late._

"Ah, Taiga." Senpai found his voice again. "Sakura's a good girl, and if she did anything wrong, I'd chastise her. She's no longer a guest, so as part of our family, I'll take responsibility for her."

"Senpai…" This time, the reddening of her cheeks was for a different reason. "Don't say such embarrassing things."

Taiga recomposed herself and immediately went back to teasing. The smirk on her face made that clear. "Even if you two were doing naughty things, it sounds like you'd both be fine with that." Again, something clanked in the kitchen, and Senpai gurgled once more.

Sakura's own smirk fell from her lips, and Taiga noticed. In its place, a stony mask of seriousness covered her appearance. "Would that be wrong, Taiga?"

"Eh!"

"Senpai isn't a selfish person. Do you really think he'd lie with someone just for the fun of it all?" She brushed a stray hair behind her ear. Her voice became a whisper. "Nice guys like Senpai are popular with girls, even if he doesn't realize it." Her knuckles cracked as she clenched her fists. She didn't want to share. "He could bed dozens of girls, but he hasn't. When he loses his innocence, he'll do it for love rather than sex." She gave a steeled glare into Taiga's eyes. "I'll make sure of it."

_I'll make sure he loves me._

Plus, if Taiga will respond too… energetically to what she said, then she felt confident in her memory altering Magecraft. She proved surprisingly competent in that area.

The woman shook her head and gave Sakura a head pat. That wasn't an insult, right? She too whispered as Senpai remained conveniently oblivious, "I'm certain you'll keep other girls off him, but it's up to me you two don't make any hasty decisions. Have fun being kids first, okay?"

_I stopped being a kid the first time worms crawled through every orifice of my body. Don't assume your worldview conforms to me._

Sakura nodded but didn't have a chance to reply. Senpai entered carrying some of their food. "Dinner's ready!" he said before frowning. After all, he saw Taiga leaning over the table patting her head.

She found life in the Emiya household as chaotic, frustrating, and confusing; however, she loved it for those very reasons. Instead of the nightly monotony of worms and rape, she experienced the most unforeseen events imaginable. One morning, she exited the bathroom and saw Taiga gnawing on Senpai's shirt. He looked more annoyed than anything and deadpanned, "Help me make breakfast to get her off me."

Rather than worrying if her brother had a bad day at school and thus vented on her, she felt frustrated FOR Senpai and Taiga. The girl criticized the teacher's maturity because she wanted to see her improve. She admonished Senpai for complying to other's demands without question. Two nights ago, he stayed three hours late at school to clean two classrooms and a clubroom. Why? They asked. It didn't bother Senpai at all because he didn't factor himself into his worldview. He wanted to help others. Her frustration came because he'd never help himself.

So_, I'll_ do_ it_ for_ him_.

While she used to not consider the world around her like Magecraft or how others saw her, she actively wanted to know what mattered to her even though it confused her. Some parts of Magecraft leapt into her mind. Memory or mind forms of Magecraft didn't pose any problems. Making her worms do anything was a hopeless endeavor. Senpai easily surpassed her with Bounded Fields. Even more, she originally wanted to hide her true self… live life as a mask, but since Senpai knew most everything about her, she no longer had to wear that mask. Choosing how to act with Senpai confused her. It wasn't awkward, but it wasn't tranquil.

"Bye, Sakura!" Wait. What? She looked around and saw all the dishes gone. Taiga stood by the door. Even her stomach felt full. What? "Shesh… You really are tired. You were in a daze the entire time we ate dinner and didn't offer help with the dishes. Could you be sick?"

"Maybe?" She glanced at Senpai, but he looked calm. "Senpai will take care of me if I do."

_I'm very sick. Take care of me in EVERY way._

"Hmmm, alright." The woman shrugged. "Just call me if you get a fever." She walked through the door, and Sakura was alone with Senpai.

"Are you alright, Sakura?" Senpai walked out of the kitchen while dying his hands with a towel. "If you are sick, we can postpone until you feel better."

_And miss out on tonight? Hell no!_

She shook her head. "Um, I'm fine. I was thinking." Her gaze shifted to her feet. "About how much I like it here with…" She paused. Should she tell him the truth, or would it be better to leave some of it out? No, Senpai did so much for her already. He deserved to know, so she closed her eyes but moved her head up. Her heart fluttered. "With you!"

The silence squeezed her. Her pulse reverberated in her ears, like a drumbeat before a battle. All the saliva in her mouth disappeared making it difficult to swallow. She clenched her hands around the hem of her skirt. Her mind succumbed to an irrational fear of rejection, but that fear seemed like a reality.

She wasn't brave enough to open her eyes, so she had no way of perceiving how he felt. An hour passed in a handful of seconds. His footsteps approached her. She sensed his hand breach her personal space, not that she minded. It landed on her head and sent a subconscious jolt throughout her body. His palm petted her hair, making tiny tangles in her violet locks. "I like being with you too."

In a moment of panic, a thousand responses raced through her mind. What should she say?

"Senpai, you're messing up my hair," she complained before covering her mouth in shock. She said that? Out of all the responses, she chose to lament about her hair? Absolute horror and embarrassment escalated across her features. She felt the heat burning from her cheeks.

He snorted before covering his mouth as well. The two teens locked eyes without blinking, as if their minds tried to make sense of an absurd reality. She let out half a giggle. A smile grew on his lips. She held her breathe in a futile attempt at composure. He snorted again.

The dam broke. They laughed. They laughed until tears streamed down their eyes. Sakura's lungs screamed for oxygen, but she couldn't stop laughing. Senpai managed a frantic breath and hooted, "Why are we laughing?!" He crumpled into his cackling again.

"I don't know!" she squeaked. Perhaps their bodies couldn't take the tension. Maybe they both lost their residual sanity. It might just be two souls enjoying the company of the other. Their fit of laughter made no sense, but it felt right. Giggling with him seemed like the most natural thing to do.

Like two sprinters who finished their race, they panted. She weaned off the high of chuckles and joy. Senpai shook his head with a smile. "That was…"

"Nice," she finished.

"Yeah." He scratched the back of his head. "I never heard you laugh like that before."

"Neither had I." She dried her remaining tears on her light jacket. "You never laughed that way either."

"I suppose you're right. I'm just glad Taiga didn't see us like that. We'd never live it down." She nodded in agreement. He asked, "So, are you still up for the transfer?" She licked her lips as he focused intently on the ceiling. "You know… um, kissing."

She was. With every fiber of her being and a great deal of carnal frustration, she was. What girl didn't want a kiss from their knight in shining armor? The voice acted like an ambassador for the soul. It allowed a person to express the thoughts and feeling otherwise bottled up inside them. And now? She had the chance to unite their lips.

However, not only did she like Senpai, but she loved him. She didn't have some schoolgirl crush, nor was it adulation for the boy who saved her from a living hell. Sakura Matou loved Shirou Emiya, but for that very reason, she realized she couldn't kiss him. Not yet. Senpai would kiss her because he wanted to help her. She wanted him to kiss her because he wanted HER. The girl couldn't bring herself to rob him of his first kiss for a reason besides affection.

No matter how much she wanted to leap in his arms, lock lips, and take his saliva into herself… a part of Senpai in her core… Sakura had to think of Senpai over herself because he never placed himself into consideration.

"Senpai." Her words came out certain and hesitant simultaneously. "If magic didn't exist and I never asked you to kiss me, would you want to?"

Did he like her as a woman? She looked nothing like her biological mother or sister. They were picturesque Japanese beauties. When most middle or high school boys thought of beauty, Rin filled their minds. Her? The worms changed her. Black hair and blue eyes evolved into violet. Her skin took a shade too pale for her countrymen's natural color. Her breast grew for some unfathomable reason.

Would Senpai even consider her body? She possessed a warped personality. She apologized too much. She submitted to immoral behavior without struggle. Crowds scared her. Sometimes, she hoped to see others fail and suffer. She hated herself.

_I killed._

She was selfish little girl. After asking Senpai such an important question, her thoughts only strayed towards herself.

"I think I'd be too afraid to lose a dear friend," he answered honestly. She picked apart his statement. He'd never initiate anything with her, he viewed her as a friend, but he did view her as a female friend.

She swallowed and asked for clarification, "Am I pretty?"

"Yes."

"Would I make a…" Her voice caught in her throat. She shuddered. "A good wife?"

"Yes."

She felt an almost unbearable desire for copulation, to jump on Senpai and consummate the love she felt for him. It maddened her in an agonizing and pleasurable way. For once, the worms had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Her posture became rigid like a board. She looked straight ahead at Senpai as her arms and legs trembled from the tension. She asked in yearning, "Kiss me, please!"

"Thank you, Sakura." He closed the distance between them. His hands enclosed her shoulders, and she melted into his embrace. In that instant, she felt warm and safe. Her arms wrapped themselves around his sides, as if they claimed his flesh as kindred existences. She felt not only her heartbeat skyrocket but his pulse intermingling with her own. As he lowed his head to her, his warm and moist breath tickled her nose playfully. She looked into his eyes, and they glistened with desire and contentment.

Sakura pushed forward, and her lips met his. Her lips welcomed the foreign sensation as her mind sung in delight. The boy she watched from afar could not be any closer. She was his and he was hers.

He didn't pull away, so she pressed her tongue forwards. She tasted Senpai, and she found it sweet. Her tongue met a soft, warm presence and realized she found his tongue. She explored the sensation in an oral dance. A longing whimper made its way to her ear. She wondered where it came before realizing it arose from her. Surprised at her own actions, she pulled back with lips curled upwards in tranquility.

They kept each other in their embrace. Senpai panted lightly. "I think we forgot to transfer Od."

She nodded wordlessly.

"We'd better try again."

She swallowed and absently wondered if the saliva contained part of Senpai's essence. "Yes," she breathed out. "Let's try many more times."

Their lips met again.

She found their kiss more pleasurable than any carnal ecstasy her brother triggered. In that moment, the girl felt one emotion. Her mind, body, and spirit dissolved into a sole feeling. Happy. Sakura simply felt happy.

* * *

The figure stood over the sleeping form of Shirou. The poor boy. Sakura almost sucked him dry. "I bet she'd love to suck him dry," it murmured under its breath and chuckled at the innuendo.

Wriggling in its hand was new creation, a divergence from the norm. A single Crest Worm and dozens of offshoots called Blood Worms fed off Sakura like parasites, but the familiars all had a defining factor. Zouken Matou owned them all. His soul dispersed through his horde and thereby connected all back to the vampiric magus. Normal familiars used other's souls from deceased bodies, but Zouken didn't have that problem. For all intents and purposes, he died over a century ago.

This Blood Worm separated itself by being Sakura's offspring. It contained a tiny portion of the girl's soul, not that it'd affect her. She had more than enough to spare. When a worm procreated from the sudden influx of a Bounded Field's Prana and Shirou's Od, the figure simply overwhelmed Zouken's soul with a larger yet insignificant piece of Sakura's during her heights of emotional glee. While some might call that the Third Magic, the figure knew that conjecture to be false. It was intrinsically familiar with Sakura's shattered soul, so it just grabbed a piece.

The newborn curled into itself, for the air offered none of the warmth of its mother's body. "Shh," the figure cooed. "I only wanted to see you." Its finger stroked the worm like a kitten. "But could you do me a favor? Have many descendants but never grow up. Oh, and stay thin." The figure sneered. "Feed on their flesh. Become the parasites' parasite."

With a mental command, the worm buried itself back into the figure's flesh from the same hole it exited from. Even a Band Aid would cover the wound.

Shirou turned in bed. Some of his covers fell off, exposing his torso to the cool evening. He appeared exhausted, and the figure deliberated if he should take the day off school tomorrow. It shook its head. "They won't be so fierce next time, and he's willful enough." Its gaze lingered on his chest. What did it look like without that shirt? It shrugged, knowing that answer will arrive shorty.

The figure slipped back under Shirou's covers. Poor Sakura almost had to drag the drained boy to bed, so she used that as an excuse to stay with him. Plus, genuine concern acted as a motivator. The figure wrapped its hand around his and smiled. Sakura really liked him. She wanted to be selfish for him since he wouldn't do so for himself. "Who am I to deny that?" it mused.

The figure closed Sakura's eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep, for the figure was Sakura and not Sakura. Regardless, it existed as a manifestation of her will just like any other personality. Even though the girl fixed a few of her problems, who would complain about a helping hand?

The next morning, Sakura wondered what caused the tiny cut on her left arm. Like Shinji's murder, denying that reality in her thoughts was easier than acknowledging it.

* * *

Author's notes:

Well, that concludes the earliest part of the story. A lot happened for the two in just over a week. A lot more to come before the Holy Grail War. I don't like long author notes, but there's a few questions/things I'd like to address.

Did I just cure Sakura of her Crest Worms? Nope, not at all. Even if she got rid of all the Blood Worms, the Crest Worm won't budge.

Why is Sakura's element and origin called Hollow? I've seen it called Imaginary Numbers and Hollow. Both do a good job at describing her element, but Hollow fit very well into this story's prevailing themes.

Did I really confuse Prana and Mana? Yeah, I'm really good at making odd screw-ups like that. Thanks for catching that, helpful guest reviewer! And if anyone else sees another odd mistake, feel free to tell me.

Why was Rin worried about Sakura getting a Sealing Designation? She was slightly panicking in her perspective, and all my narrators aren't 100% reliable. Still, from Rin's perspective, Sakura gobbled up a TON of energy and seemingly made it all vanish. If she actually did that (she didn't), it would be a one-of-a-kind talent.

Is Zouken dead? Not at all, but it'll take a while to find out what he has been doing. He's "missing" because it suited his needs best for his own goals.

Why is Shirou doing so good with Bounded Fields? He's making copies of the original by tracing the sigil to make his own fakes. He's also not really doing "that" good. A magical copy and paste isn't all too impressive. In terms of sheer power and versatility, Sakura surpasses him, but she too is a specialized magus. Sakura narrated that Shirou was doing better, and she has both a very negative self-image and views Shirou like a hero. The story inferred a little already with the areas she'll thrive in (besides the obvious like her HF abilities), and yes, I know some of those abilities were based around Bounded Fields.

Why is the pace so fast? With Shinji dead, Sakura would either have sex with Shirou in a worm-induced hysteria, consume people's Od like HF, or find alternate means with Shirou. All of which would've occurred in about a week. I went with the kindest of the three routes, and I thought it made the most sense considering their situation. It also was effected from the story's actual POD.

What is the point of divergence? It actually didn't start with Shinji's well-deserved and embarrassing death. Shirou knew Sakura for about four years by the time of the Holy Grail War. This time, she never had the courage to meet him before his injury. It caused two major plot-points. First, Shinji went overboard because he wasn't used to Sakura knowing Shirou (and he had no clue she was helping him for weeks). Second, Shirou's first impression of Sakura was her being 14 instead of 11-12ish. They danced around their feelings in canon until HF spurred them on, but they less reason to do so now.

I also wanted to make a story where Shirou and Sakura come together than the normal way (being Shirou stumbles upon Sakura being pounded by bullies, intervenes, then gets dragged home by Sakura because they pounded him instead.) So, I'm trying to make this distinctly original while undeniably Fate-esque.

Hopefully that helped? Either that or you're like me and skipped this entire author's notes section. Well, thank you all for this story's reception so far!


	5. Chapter 5

Weeks turned into months and months turned into seasons. Before Shirou's eyes, the autumn leaves bowed into winter's bitter bareness. Time ticked away like always, and he became more accustomed to Sakura. What started out as startled surprises evolved into acceptance. No longer did he take a second glance when he found her cooking before sunrise or pass her by on the way to a bath. The concept of Sakura became associated with the idea of home. Home had food, warmth, a crazy Taiga, and Sakura. The boy didn't mind at all.

He wished they were back home instead of standing in the cold. It may have been the first day of winter, but it announced its coming with biting temperatures. He pulled the scarf tighter around his mouth and neck. Sakura insisted he take one just as he asserted she take hers. After all these weeks, he noticed a strong pattern. They seemed hellbent on helping the other despite neither wanting help. He wanted to help everyone; she wanted to help only him. He recognized it wasn't the healthiest of mindsets, but the couple balanced each other out.

Couple…

Unlike Sakura's presence, the concept of her being his girlfriend surprised him. While he was a teen and thus appreciated the female form, he didn't foresee intimacy in his future. A Hero of Justice led a solitary life because a hero couldn't burden others with their battles. However, Sakura… His closest friend and a beautiful friend. A rape victim and abandoned by all but him. He saved her with affection, an act of a gallant hero; nonetheless, he wanted her regardless.

His father, a man whose ideals he claimed as his own, died with only an adopted son. He never mentioned a lover, and Shirou never suspected one. Though, did that mean the son had to end like his father? No, the boy decided finding love wasn't wrong. He brought a smile to Sakura's face. How could the world be a worse place for that? If a Hero of Justice couldn't make Sakura smile, then he'd become her Hero of Justice.

"Senpai!" She opened and closed the Matou's front door without a sound. Under her left arm, she clutched two leather-clad books. Her right locked the door to leave it for another few weeks. The fewer times she had to visit the nightmarish tomb the better. "I found what we need."

"Good job, Sakura." She smiled at his praise. "Don't forget to put on your scarf. I wouldn't want you to catch cold."

Her right hand pulled her scarf around her neck as she strode towards him. A sly smile graced her lips before it became covered by the scarf. "Ah, but you'd nurse me back to health. Would that be so bad?"

When she reached him, he patted her head and took the books from her. "It'd mean no unnecessary kissing."

"You're no fun, Senpai," she grumbled. Her interlocked her arms with his free one, and her breasts pressed him, separated only by clothing. He knew she did that on purpose.

It started with the kissing. Soon, their personal space closed by centimeters every day. The distance separating them decreased while working in the kitchen. One day, her hand wrapped around his while walking home. When sitting on a bench, she leaned her head against his shoulder. Sometimes, they fell asleep in their workshop and woke up to find they used the other as a pillow… Not that he'd complain. It was quite nice actually.

Still, she wanted to touch him and him to touch her., and it wasn't just in a sexual way. His friend went through life alternating between negligence and abuse. Never had she been able to touch someone caringly, not since her mother. She mentioned her a few times in a positive light. Even so, she told him that being close meant feeling safe.

She also wanted sex and made those thoughts clear. For instance, this very moment. Or, two weeks ago, she exited the bath wearing nothing but a towel the moment he passed by. Her smirk told him the coincidence wasn't a coincidence. Of all things, he really liked the way her hair looked when wet.

They hadn't done anything besides kissing… and cuddling if those previous actions counted. He didn't have parents to ask what met the requirements, his only other friend was a monk in training, and his guardian was Taiga. He considered asking Rin, but that felt wrong for some reason.

Sakura suffered a lot, and he wanted to give her a somewhat normal relationship. She deserved that much.

"Senpai, what are you thinking about?" she asked. Their interlocked forms weaved through the men and women heading home from work. For the duo, work was about to begin.

"Us," he answered truthfully. "I like it."

"So do I…" She tightened her grip on his arm but didn't say another word. Neither did he, since they had no need to. She felt worried about the Grail War, for she feared his death. He feared anyone dying. For the first few months, they focused on basic Magecraft. Since they had a basic…ish understanding of it, Sakura collected material specifically on the war today.

On the way home, he felt a tingle in his nose. Rin made another one? Oh well. Ever since they showed her that Bounded Field, she proceeded to use half of Fuyuki as a battery. Each field had a lump of quartz rather than risking a jewel. She told him the ill-suited material only worked as a second-rate hand grenade. She only told him that as a warning. While non-magi wouldn't near the quartz because of a deterring Bounded Field, he and Sakura wouldn't be affected. She told them their hands might explode if they touched the material, so he appreciated the warning.

Speaking about Rin… "Should we tell her?" The Matou, Tohsaka, and some German family called Einzbern had a representative every year. The Tohsaka family had just one living descendant, and she had more than enough power to sustain a servant. "She isn't a bad person."

Their footsteps echoed on the pavement. The wind blew through the leafless trees. He waited for her reply, and she did in a cold tone. "Tohsaka Senpai is a magus. She'll only accept a deal that would help her."

And so he told her his suggestion.

Shirou disliked fighting. His father once told him a hero couldn't save everyone. The villain had to be defeated. But, what if the villain could become a friend? Instead of thinking about ways to use their early knowledge of the war for an advantage, he brainstormed ways to ensure they wouldn't have to fight Rin. She helped them after all and helped keep the city safe from rogue elements of the moonlit world. Plus, she and Sakura could be friends as girls and fellow magi. She needed female friends, and Rin seemed sorta lonely.

"Excuse me?" She stopped walking which forced him to stop with her.

"You don't care about it, and have the right to give it away," he reasoned. "We could forge a truce until we eliminate everyone else." The Magecraft user shrugged. "Then, we'd have a fair fight in the woods or somewhere else far away from people. Instead of a one in seven chance, she'd have either a one out of two or three."

"I…" She swallowed. "No magus would be insane enough to suggest that, Senpai."

He smiled. "We're Magecraft users, not magi. This power is just a means to an end. For you, it's freedom, so we'll achieve that dream no matter how unconventional we have to be…" An odd thought jumped into his head, "Hey, what would be her wish anyway?"

"I don't know."

* * *

Rin cursed as she nicked her finger with the cutting knife. In anger, she fired a Gandr at the half-chopped cabbage which soared into a cupboard and broke into a hundred pieces. "Arg!" she groaned before sticking her finger in her mouth. "Why is this so hard?"

She wasn't cooking to match Sakura's abilities. She didn't plan on giving them a lunch to prove she could cook. No, the girl wanted to improve this skillset since all the other magi in the city could cook. The damn fake priest didn't count. His idea of cooking involved spices hot enough to kill a lesser soul.

She healed her finger inefficiently since it wasn't her specialty, but it didn't matter if a magus dumped enough Prana in a spell. Taking out a dustpan and broom, she swept the cabbage's desecrated corpse and tossed it in the trash. "I'll eat you like an apple next time," she said into the trashcan. The green remains didn't respond. "And you better learn to not mess with a Tohsa-"

She felt the sensation, almost tasting it on her tongue. Someone entered her Bounded Field, and it wasn't a postman or the priest. She recognized the normal visitors to her house. Another field resonated. That one activated only if it sensed a new Prana source. Either Sakura, Emiya, or a newcomer entered her premises. The Mage Association would've warned her of a visitor beforehand, and why would the other two come alone?

The Second Owner checked her pocket and felt the comforting sensation of three gems. Confident in her armament, she walked to the front door. The person knocked before she could reach it. With one hand clenched around her jewels in case of an attack, she called out, "Who is it?" Her voice betrayed none of the surprise or confusion inside. It sounded more like an agitated executive.

"Tohsaka Senpai, we're going to talk." She heard Sakura's voice, but the directness of the request seemed off. Plus, it defied social norms. Only fools strode into a magi's territory only to demand something. "It involves our lineage."

…Our lineage…

Since she left for the Matou family, neither of them mentioned their blood relationship. Sakura was a Matou, and Rin was a Tohsaka. Nothing further needed addressing. But now Sakura strode to her door and demanded an audience? Something happened. The lack of Shirou meant he somehow got caught up in circumstances involving them or the girl didn't want this conversation to reach his ears. Either way, not good.

Rin opened the door. "Come inside," she said neutrally, not knowing what to expect. Sakura's gaze lingered on her abdomen. Confused, she looked down and saw she never took off her apron. "I don't live off takeout," she deadpanned.

"Sorry." She bowed her head and entered. The magus tossed the apron to the side and led her guest into the living room.

The room held the same furniture for generations, wooden frames with thin cushions. When Mother and Father still lived, even they never used the room. It existed more as a decoration piece than for practicality, and Rin never had a reason to change anything besides the curtains. Those were blue. She preferred red.

Sakura took a seat and fidgeted before giving up on finding a comfortable position. Rin took a chair opposite of hers which separated the two with a small coffee table covered in a fine layer of dust. Ug, maybe she should clean the room more than once a year.

Just to be safe, she drew a sigil on the ground which created a new Bounded Field. The air stilled around them. Even the dust ceased to float aimlessly. "Just to be safe, I soundproofed this room. No one will overhear." She crossed her arms and huffed, "Now, please tell me this conversation will hold some form of relevance."

"Senpai wanted to come, but there were some things I… we don't want him to hear. Thank you." Sakura had yet to meet her gave. Her vision shifted from the floor to her gloved hands. "Was mother injured during the Grail War?"

Of all the questions to ask, Rin didn't expect that. A horrible, twisted feeling churned in her chest. Father died in the war, unable to bring her family its long-sought goal of victory. Her mother was found half-strangled to death inside Fuyuki's church by an unknown assailant. The most beautiful, amazing woman Rin ever met become nothing more than a glorified vegetable. For the next seven years, the little girl could do little but change her mother's diapers as she withered away. She died in her sleep and left a young girl all alone in a mansion with nothing but the Tohsaka library, a few patents for Atlas, and massive debt as a legacy.

"Most likely." Rin herself was almost killed while searching for a kidnapped friend. The Caster that war apparently liked torturing children according to the fake priest.

"I was glad." Sakura looked at Rin with a soft smile. Something in her eyes looked off, almost hollow. "You became alone, and a part of me was very glad you became like me."

The dusty coffee table smashed into dozens of tiny pieces. Her reinforced arms trembled in sheer rage at Sakura's callousness. She'd rip her heart out if it wasn't for a vengeful Zouken.

"You have a brother and a grandfather." She didn't let her emotions show, but grabbing one of the table's legs proved her emotional state. "Father ensured you're safe from the Mage Association, and Mother cried after you left. Give me one good reason not to kick you out."

One of the shards must've hit her cheek because a line of crimson dripped down her cheek. The girl didn't budge. She sighed, "I'll show you why."

She held up her right arm and cupped her left hand under it. A red dot appeared under her wrist, and Rin understood it was blood. She tensed when something other than blood came from the wound. A worm slithered out and dropped into Sakura's hand. Rin's throat burned as she swallowed back a small amount of vomit. She heard the table leg fall to the ground since she dropped it.

"Isn't he cute?" the girl asked. The worm rested in her palm. It had a bulbous head with sharp, tiny teeth. The rest of its body stretched out to a hand's length like a long feather. "I have two others I can control. They're familiars. I'm pretty sure they're mine somehow." She outstretched her hand for Rin to see the worm better, but she took a step back and almost tripped over her chair. "Zouken has about a dozen, much bigger ones inside me, though I think one disappeared last week. It stopped wiggling, but I won't complain. They're mean. You ever have your hymen broke by a worm? That was a week after you, Mother, and Father abandoned me."

The magus grabbed onto the chair to keep herself from falling. Her breath got caught in her throat. She couldn't swallow and fought back the urge to vomit. Her mind raced at the implications, and fury turned into horror. Her little sister acted as the breeding grounds for parasites. She was violated.

Sakura tilted her head to the side. "You never bothered to research Matou Magecraft, did you?" She pressed the worm onto her palm, and it slipped back into her body. "These Blood Worms are nothing compared to other aspects of it. Did you know Shinji's mother got thrown into a pit of crest worms just because she gave birth to a son without circuits? Oh, but I don't mind Momo, Ume, and Nashi. They're my Blood Worms. I let Ume say hello to you."

"Sakura…" she wheezed.

"I'm a bad girl and wanted others to suffer like myself. I imagined Father screaming as he choked to death on a Crest Worm and Mother wasting away like I did. Other days were better. There's a Crest Worm wrapped around my heart. Whenever Zouken wants, poof!" She rested her palms over her heart. "I'm dead, so I envied you most of the time."

She took off her glove. Surrounding the sigil for the Bounded Field she double-checked for them were Command Spells. Rin didn't know how to respond. She wouldn't believe the girl, but a worm just exited a re-entered her body.

"I had a way to kill you and free myself at the same time. If Zouken gets the Holy Grail, he'll release me. Don't you understand, Tohsaka Senpai? I'll be free after a decade of torture. But…" She slumped in her chair, exhausted. "I think Senpai rubbed off on me," the girl muttered to herself more than Rin.

"Sakura, I…" What could she say? Her little sister smashed most preconceptions the girl had of the local magi. Did Father know what awaited his daughter? She emulated the man, looked up to him more than anyone else, and wept for his death. Yet, his actions brought suffering to his own child, and Rin knew there must've been more horrors than what Sakura revealed.

Even so, none of that mattered at the moment. She'll reevaluate her thoughts on old or dead magi later. For some stupid reason, that reason apparently being Emiya, Sakura confessed to her. In a sense, this was a test. How should she respond?

A magus would answer in a way to help herself. Sakura revealed the Grail War happening decades early. So many rewards lied with the wish-granting device, but a magus also gave his daughter to a man who raped her with worms. For that matter, did she desire anything in the first place? Not anything she couldn't achieve for herself.

"I'll help you," she said, though winning the Holy Grail and wishing for Zouken and all his familiars to die might be easier. "And the Tohsaka household will welcome two apprentices once the war is over."

Sakura blinked before tilting her head to the side. "I didn't think this would be so easy."

The Second Owner crossed her arms and huffed, falling into her habits out of sheer desperation for normalcy. "Did you really think I'd just let you suffer?"

"Yes."

In school, Rin remembered reading stories where the villain realized his wickedness and lamented during their final breaths. She thought those scenes were stupid, since no one ever did that. The bad Dead Apostles never repented. Magi remained selfish until the end. Vengeful spirits stayed vengeful. However, she suddenly empathized with those lamenting villains. Sakura Matou believed Rin was an evil, selfish person. Considering this new information, she couldn't deny those beliefs.

"Oh," she muttered. Her guest stared at the magus and waited for her to elaborate. "Why did you tell me if you thought I'd refuse?"

She blushed. "You helped Senpai and I. And… I could die at any moment if Grandfather feels like it. Senpai is warped, like me but different. He has no self-preservation. What would happen if there's no one to watch him? If… if something happens to me, um…" She bowed her head as low as she could manage. Her voice pleaded, "Please keep Senpai safe!"

After staring in befuddlement for a few seconds, Rin stammered, "O-of course!" Sakura lifted her head up. Rin still stared. She couldn't think of what else to say. What could they talk about after that? Oh. "I'll start Emiya's and your own training on the first of next year. I won't want my future apprentices dying on me."

Sakura nodded and smiled. "And we'll give you the Matou library. That's what Senpai wanted to use to get this alliance."

If it wasn't for the fact that she learned her little sister endured torture, thought she wouldn't help her after learning that, and revealed the upcoming grain war, Rin would've been surprised. A magus does not reveal secrets, and Sakura just offered all of hers as an afterthought.

"Y-you! I. Ah!"

"And you're invited for dinner on Christmas Day. Senpai will make fried chicken instead of buying it, and we can discuss Magecraft and the war then." Sakura stood and dusted off her jacket. "I believe both of us have far too many emotions swirling." She turned around and walked back to the front door.

Rin nodded, her brain partially blanking but still understanding that free food is good food.

_"Big sister, I love you!"_

Those words resuscitated the girl just enough to say her parting words. The statement came out rushed, but she meant every bit of it. "I miss you."

Sakura paused in the doorway and turned around. She didn't reply, but her eyes glistened, no longer hollow. It spoke more than enough.

After the door closed, Rin spent the next thirty minutes in the bathroom vomiting, the next hour crying, and the entire night plotting.

* * *

Sakura felt many things in her life. A thousand worms crawled over her naked body. She despaired as her uncle's dead body tumbled into the worms and got consumed. One time, Shinji punched too hard and broke a rib. Grandfather looked sort of annoyed because of that. She had the unnerving sensation of getting used to rape. Wasn't that supposed to be the worst thing ever? Earlier in the year, one of her peers got raped by some criminal, and she ended up becoming depressed. Yet, it was just a weekly experience for her.

Throughout all her life, she never vomited from just tension, so her lunch at the bottom of the park trashcan seemed new. Chunks that vaguely looked like a yellow stew sat on top of a broken umbrella. She refused to smell, but the citric tang of bile overwhelmed her mouth. The back of her throat burned.

"Are you okay, young girl?" asked a passerby. He dressed in formal attire, like a businessman or a reserved teacher. He looked stiff, but she suspected he always appeared that way. Her seemed oddly familiar, as if she passed him by before.

"Sorry," she said before covering her mouth to spit. That flavor in her mouth annoyed her.

"You should go to a hospital if you feel unwell." His eyes analyzed her, not because she was a female but because he wanted to know why she vomited.

She shook her head and pulled her head away from the tarnished garbage can. "I'm not sick." Just terrified.

"You have a fresh cut on your cheek and a bleeding hole above your wrist. Perhaps you fell into the wrong crowd, took a nasty fall, or injected yourself with a drug," he said clinically.

Her head bobbled left and right. "It was a family dispute. Please don't mind me."

"Ah, I see. I apologize for being intrusive." He bowed his head.

"No! Don't apologize." She held her good arm up as if to pacify him. "Not enough people are concerned about others, but the dispute is over. I think I mended things." She smiled to accentuate that point.

"I merely did my duty. What others do is of no concern to me, but I took this responsibility as a teacher." He took out a piece of gum from a package in his pocket. "This will help with the taste."

She bowed and chirped, "Thank you, kind teacher!" She plopped the gum in her mouth, and mint overtook the tangy flavor.

He walked in the opposite direction as if the conversation never happened. Sakura breathed out of her nose to decompress.

The conversation with Tohsaka Senpai turned out… weird.

She entered the building under the assumption that she'd offer Matou Magecraft and not give major revelations to her ally. Instead, she insulted their dead parents before showed one of her worms among other things. At least it confirmed Tohsa… Rin wasn't aware of her suffering, though it also showed she sucked at her job.

_The Second Owner isn't required to stop Magi from doing anything in their own household. _

Sakura didn't want to tell Rin her history. It felt like showing a puss-filled wound or a self-starring erotic video to a friend. She exposed some of her darkest taint on a whim in a reckless attempt to ensure Senpai's safety. The entire conversation went on autopilot, as if she was an observer between other people. Her body and lips simply _did _instead of her doing the actions. In unnerved and terrified her. At least she hurt Rin. The girl realized her family's and her own failures with the youngest Tohsaka by blood.

No! Rin didn't deserve to suffer. They were already alike. Sakura's parents abandoned her. Rin's parents died on her. Both had to face the world alone. And, if Rin didn't know Sakura's misery, what if Sakura didn't know about things Rin hid from others?

_It's better to define a person as an ally or enemy early. The other Masters will be trained adults. The three of us need a power base to survive. Rin got her chance. She's poor and couldn't get a good catalyst on her own anyway. So far, so good._

She made it back to their house on autopilot. Her legs moved as her mind pondered. She concluded the results went well… Would Rin have helped her no matter what time she asked? Could she have found an ally years ago? It didn't matter. They needed to plan for the future, the Holy Grail War.

"I'm home!" she called out because the statement rung true. It sounded like a melody on her lips. Senpai's house and her house became the same place, and she will keep it that way.

"Welcome back," he said from the kitchen. He poked his head out and continued, "Did it go-" His tone became serious. "Are you okay?"

She hung her coat on a hanger and cringed. "Sorry."

Warm hands pressed against her shoulders. "Are you alright? Why is your wrist bleeding?" He sounded reassuring rather than worried. He trusted her, and that made her happy.

"I showed Ume," she said, since that revealed almost the entirety of their conversation due to what she implied.

"I understand." He took her by her clean hand. "Let's go bandage your cuts, okay?" She nodded and followed him into the bathroom. She sat on the toilet lid while he grabbed their supplies.

"Why don't the Matou have any Healing Magecraft?" he grumbled as he saturated a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol. "I'd love to heal." He dabbed the cotton ball on her cheek first.

"Ah," she gasped. Not only did it sting, but Senpai caressed her cheeks from a certain point of view. After he moved down to her wrist, she grabbed his free hand and placed it on the unharmed side of her face. "Rin Senpai should know some. After figuring out your element, we could learn that."

He placed a square Band-Aid over her wrist. "Alright. Did she accept the invitation?" She nodded. "Good. I hoped you two could become friends."

Did she say so much to Rin just to make Senpai happy? If so, was that even wrong? Probably not. "That would be… nice?"

He put away the bandage supplies. "I think so. You need more friends than just me."

She didn't believe so but didn't want to argue with Senpai, not after he treated her small wounds. Thus, she changed the subject. "Have you decided what kind of Servant you'll summon?"

"Probably Saber or Archer," he shrugged. "But let's continue this in the kitchen. I have dinner on the stove and don't want it burned."

She followed him into the kitchen, happy about changing the subject. Plus, this was the method of her freedom and allowed them to meet famous people. Despite the immanent threat of mass killings and possibly dying, the Holy Grail War had its benefits.

"Archer is my best bet," he started while turning up the oven. The hamburgers smelled delicious, all five of them. One for her, one for Senpai, and three for Taiga. "Independent action will help since we wouldn't have to supply as much Prana, so I'll take it if you continue to improve." With one of Grandfather's blood worms disappearing, it made her Od levels more stable, not that it stopped their transfer sessions. She hoped the rest would die by the time of the war.

"Which hero would you summon, Senpai?"

He rubbed the back of his head. "One that'd work with two other Servants. Even if the masters get along, we can't guarantee them. Even then, we don't have any catalysts."

She crossed her arms. "Berserker Lancelot smashed the Matou catalyst, a piece of the round table. We could've summoned three spirits who actually worked together in their legends." She paused. "Though, knowing my luck, we'd summon Arthur, Lancelot, and Mordred. Then, they'd kill each other."

"True." He flipped a burger. "We'll have to summon separately. Maybe using the same catalyst is dangerous, but I can't think of any hero with cheap catalysts. Maybe I could grab a bow and hope that summons an Archer?"

"Shakespeare's easy if he's one, though I'd imagine he'd be a weak Servant. Same with other artists." Her shoulders slump. "I'm worried about mine. Unless I'm specific, the Grail will choose one close to my personality and my personality…"

"Is wonderful and strong."

She blushed and shook her head. "Is fragile, Senpai." The girl took out her piece of gum and tossed it in the trashcan. "Though, one of us three should summon a Saber early. They were finalists for every Grail War. I think Rin Senpai is the best Saber master with her high magic reserves."

He nodded. "Knowing her, she'll have a plan by the time she comes over for Christmas dinner. For now, let's just enjoy the night. You had a long day."

"Alright."

"Shirou!" A roaring tiger kicked open the front door. "I'm hungry!"

Sakura giggled. She liked her life. She'll do anything to protect it… protect Senpai. No matter what happens to her, she'll ensure he makes it through alive. Why?

She _loves _Senpai.

…

And in the Throne of Heroes, a fellow soul resonated.


	6. Chapter 6

"Oh, I love the chicken!" Taiga squealed while rubbing her belly. "And pass the mashed potatoes!"

Rin glanced at the others' plates. Crumps and grease from the fried chicken dotted everyone's dishes. The mashed potatoes got passed around. Even the corn disappeared from its once full container.

She clenched her fists. Her cranberry sauce, on the other hand, only left its purple stain on her plate. Emiya took a no-thank-you helping. Sakura ignored it. Taiga didn't even notice the side dish. Cranberry sauce existed as a staple of traditional Western Christmas dinners! Just because they're Japanese and never had that tradition didn't mean they couldn't eat it!

Unless…

"E-Emiya?" She didn't dare look at Sakura. "Did I do something wrong with the… You know… Cranberry sauce?"

"Oh?" Taiga exclaimed. A large smear of mashed potatoes covered her chin. "I didn't know it was there! Why'd you bring it?"

Her ears turned red. How did the English teacher not know about English Christmases?

"Ah." He took a spoonful out and put it on his plate. "Tohsaka, It tasted like you used canned sauce as a base. You can boil fresh cranberries instead. Also, instead of canned oranges, you could use orange peels for a more expressive taste. If you wanted a more traditional flavor, add nutmeg or cinnamon. Some people add raisins as well." He took a bite. "It isn't bad. It didn't fit the theme of the meal. It's like bringing an eggroll to a pizza party. No matter how good the eggrolls are, people will gravitate to the pizza."

She nodded and groaned. She hoped things would've turned out better than this.

"It's alright, Rin Senpai." Her sister smiled. "Not everyone is naturally a good cook."

That passive-aggressive bitch.

_"You ever have your hymen broke by a worm?"_

God damn it! Rin forced a smile in return. "I guess I can't be a natural at everything, right?"

Sakura passed her hand over the cranberry sauce and grabbed a chicken leg. "You must exercise a lot after eating so much takeout," she giggled.

Taiga looked from one girl to the other. Her brain worked like a machine, coming up with the most logical conclusion to the situation. She stood and jabbed her finger at Emiya. The glint in her eyes reflected that of a ferocious tiger while her roaring voice might've carried over to the neighbors. "Shirou! Are you building a harem?!"

"No," came his immediate, calm reply in direct contrast to what she suspected. "Rin is a good friend. Don't worry."

Taiga slowly lowered her accusing finger. Sakura leaned onto Emiya's arm. Rin felt thankful he salvaged the situation. She also suspected he had no idea any girl in the world could even think about liking him, with the sole exception of Sakura.

"Sleep," she ordered while pouring some Prana into her words. It didn't take much since Taiga neared a food coma anyway. The young woman's body lowered herself to the floor before she lightly snored. Rin waived her hand. "Just a sleep spell. We can talk freely now." The fact that she showed her magical superiority was just a side benefit.

The other two nodded and watched her. She took the sigh as a go-ahead.

The girl outstretched her right pointer finger and thumb as a makeshift gun. She raised that hand to her head's height and pointed it at the ceiling. The girl later learned her new pupils called it Rin's Lecture Pose Number One.

"Our end goal is winning the Grail War. Everything we do should aim to that objective. First, information. Sakura, who else knows about this?"

"Us and Grandfather. I haven't informed the church." She bowed her head. "Sorry."

"Don't be." She crossed her arms, Rin's Lecture Pose Number Two. "If we play our cards right, no one will know until a few months before. That gives us almost a year in extra preparation. We will use that time to improve our Magecraft, study previous wars, and secure the best catalysts. Does anyone have a catalyst?"

"Berserker Lancelot smashed a piece of the round table," Sakura answered.

"And Emiya?" She turned her gaze to him, but the other pupil looked surprised. Then again, so did Emiya. What?

He scratched his head. "Why would I have one?"

The oldest of the three pinched the bridge of her nose, Rin's Lecture Pose Number Three. A wave of empathy overtook her. A few days ago, her father went from the man she most admired to a man she… didn't know what to feel about. She had been distracted since then. Now, she'll do the same to him. It looked like both their fathers kept secrets.

"I left it at home to keep it safe, but my father had a detailed journal from the Fourth War up until he died. In it, he named all six of the other masters. One was the infamous Magus Killer himself and the master of Saber, Arthur Pendragon, a girl for some reason. His name was Kiritsugu Emiya."

"Oh." He closed his eyes. Rin couldn't tell what he felt. "Did he kill your father?"

Sakura glanced at her as if to say "I told you so". His first thought was of others, if he even thought of himself in the first place.

She shook her head. "My father died of a stab wound. My mother was found strangled. Neither fit his modus operandi, and I did my research over the past few days." She slightly upturned her lips to show she didn't think less of him. Considering her father, she wouldn't even feel ill will to his adopted son if Kiritsugu was his killer. "The Einzbern family, the other family who always had a contender, hired him as their representative. I'll learn more later. Either way, I was hoping you had his catalyst because Arthur is one of the best servants available."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I didn't know." A frown graced his lips. "I knew he was an assassin of some sort, but he never talked about his past… Thank you for telling me what you know."

She fought back a blush and continued with her lecture. The unease in her stomach didn't dissipate. "As for your training, I'll focus on making sure you two don't die during the war. Sakura, your element Hollow is suited for anti-servant combat, though you'll be weak against other mages. Emiya, I can't say much until I know your element."

"Yes," they said in unison which looked adorable, especially their blush afterwards.

"My father summoned Gilgamesh as a servant, but his notes painted him in an uncooperative light. What we need are nice ones. If worst comes to worse, we can spend a sinful amount of money and buy catalysts from the Mage Association. They always have artifacts. I'm half-considering having Emiya summon without one. His personality is selfless and nice, so the servant would be the same way."

They nodded.

"Since we're on the topic of money, are either of you loaded?" She turned away and stared at a wall. "I'm, um. My family hit hard times."

"No." Sakura shook her head. "My family had enough stocks to pay property taxes and not much else."

"Yeah."

Rin made an abominable noise best described as the unholy child of a gurgle and a retch, though she saw such a reaction as reasonable. Of the three of them, he lived in a quaint if large house rather than a mansion. Only he worked on a part-time job. He shopped using coupons! In all, he lived a very frugal existence. For some stupid reason… No, for one very Emiya-esque reason, he had money but chose to live self-sufficiently regardless. Of course the Magus Killer had a boatload of cash and not the two ancient family of magi.

"Emiya." Her tone shifted into a sing-song tune. "How much do you have?"

"Well," he said while rubbing his chin. "Some of it is tied up with the house, and Mister Fujimura controls a lot of it until I'm old enough. I don't like using my father's money, but I don't think he'd mind if I used it for this. Is about a hundred-million Yen enough?"

Rich. Loyal. Good looking. Magecraft user. Rich. A nice person. Rich. The realization that she missed on an amazingly good source for propagation would've infuriated her if not for Sakura finding him. Despite everything that happened, Sakura has Tohsaka blood which means her descendants could take their Family Crest. Plus, they seem happy together.

"Money is no longer an issue," she declared. Screaming at Emiya out of undulating fury wouldn't help matters at all. "And that assists us in the resource department."

"Glad to help!" he chirps.

"Of course you are," she grumbled and took Rin's Lecture Pose Number Four, rubbing both her eyes in frustration at a boy HAPPY to throw away a fortune.

On the other hand, that fortune just got thrown at her along with two willing minions… Er, apprentices. Or, a minion and a sister-apprentice who probably could emotionally destroy her if she annoyed her too much.

To be a magus was to walk with death, right?

* * *

People gave odd looks at the trio. Not enough young people visited museums in recent years. Children spent their days wasting away in front of televisions or phones, at least according to the elder generations. Most of the younglings visiting this establishment came grumbling behind their determined grandparents. Others rushed through to complete some school project; however, the trio neither grumbled nor rushed. Instead, they stared at a sword as if it was a space alien.

Even so, no one approached them. Something seemed slightly off about the three. The girl with purple hair gave a slightly bloodthirsty feeling. The other girl almost had Yen signs imprinted into her eyeballs with how much she craved it. The sole boy trembled as if his father gave him a button to launch the world's nuclear missiles for Christmas. It didn't help that Tohsaka created a Bounded Field to ward off others around them.

"Emiya?" she asked, confounded and confused as if someone told her two plus two equaled five. "You traced that, right?"

"Yeah." His voice sounded perfectly calm, though it made sense. Tohsaka determined his element and origin were sword.

_A hill of words with a lone human standing on top, waiting._

It all started when he Projected objects for his Reinforcement training. He felt bad about ruining to many objects like pipes or planks of wood, so he created fake ones that lasted long enough for him to practice. One day, he Projected a kitchen knife and found it took almost no Prana, so he got carried away and made a bunch. He forgot about one, and Sakura used one to slice bread that evening. When they asked Tohsaka about it, she suspected it had to do with his element. After determining it wasn't the concept of "kitchen", they determined it was "sword" considering all bladed objects needed less Prana. She also said it cost way too little even considering his abnormal element, but they'll figure out why eventually.

"Emiya…" Their Magecraft teacher swallowed. He could sense the power radiating from the blade, and he was a third-rate magus. Tohsaka was first rate. How much more weight pressed down on her? "Are we looking at a…" Her voice tapered off. Every part of logic in their minds screamed something had to be wrong with their senses. What lied before them couldn't be real. Why would something like THAT exist in the Tokyo National Museum?

Why did they take two days off school just to visit a museum? Shirou could copy swords perfectly.

_Judging the concept of creation._

_Hypothesizing the basic structure._

_Duplicating the composition materials._

_Imitating the skill of its making._

_Sympathizing with the experience of its growth._

_Reproducing the accumulated years._

_Excelling every manufacturing process._

Or, as Tohsaka put it, "Shirou, your origin is sword, and you can sympathize with hunks of metal like a raging psycho. While I can congratulate you for being crazy, it also means you just pushed the normally useless structural grasping into new territory, you idiot." His projections carried everything about a blade. For example, an old knife in the back corner of this room was wielded by a Ronin who once killed a man by stabbing that knife through his eye. If Shirou projected it, he'd take the skills of that Ronin when he used that blade, thus he could kill people through an eye stabbing with that projected knife.

It seemed oddly convenient for a war full of people using weapons like swords, but it increased Sakura and Tohsaka's chances of survival. That made him happy.

_The man who cried tears of joy to save a boy's life. A man who killed men, women, and children to be a Hero of Justice?_

His abilities also meant he knew exactly what the sword lying being a thin pane of glass was and what it could do.

It happened to be the oldest tachi, the precursor to katanas, in existence. Forged by Yasutuna over a thousand years ago, swordsmiths to this day still call it the pinnacle of tachis. It passed from owner to owner over the years, and Shirou saw the styles of them all. Still, all of them blanched in comparison to its wielder Minamoto no Raikō, the great monster slayer. With this tachi, he… or she apparently according to the history in the blade… killed the great demon Shuten-douji.

The blade ranked as the greatest of Japan's Five Swords under Heaven. Doujigiri Yasutsuna. For some reason, a B++ ranked Noble Phantasm sat in the middle of a museum.

Even if not everyone in Japan knew the tachi by name, they knew of it. Even a boy could probably say something about Minamoto no Raikō and how "he" fought with that blade. People's beliefs poured into it. With every feat Minamoto no Raikō completed, Doujigiri Yasutsuna increased in power from a blade already without peers into a Noble Phantasm. With F being a baseline and every letter up or plus sign being a multiple of ten, this B++ weapon existed as one million times more effective than a normal tachi, though Tohsaka called ranking Noble Phantasms as somewhat arbitrary and not too be trusted over how it acted on the battlefield.

Still…

"Doujigiri Yasutsuna, a B++ Noble Phantasm," he muttered. They found weapons owned by heroes, a few E-rank Noble Phantasms, and one C-rank; however, nothing came close to this beautiful creation. "At least people can see it."

Sakura tilted her head to the side. "Can we visit all the museums with Noble Phantasms?"

Tohsaka whimpered. Perhaps she wanted to take the blade and sell it. Maybe she feared what'd happen if a rouge magus stole it. "In Japan, yes," she relented. "I don't care how much it costs. If Emiya can project these, even as a lesser copy, he could hold off a weaker servant for a few seconds."

"Wow," he mused; however, it wasn't in reference to him not immediately dying when faced with a servant. "This is a really nice tachi."

Tohsaka left the museum with a migraine. Sakura left it feeling protected by her boyfriend's new arsenal. Shirou simply felt happy to see so many swords and know so many ways to now protect others.

* * *

"Goodnight, Sakura." Senpai patted her head and pulled the covers to her neck. While being sick brought many annoyances, being pampered by her knight in shining armor made her reality a dream… or maybe a dream her reality. Perhaps it eliminated any distinction between the two.

"Sorry," she croaked through a strained throat. Cold yet sweating. Tired yet awake. Muffled yet sharp. Her body became a paradox of sensations as the disease took hold. Unfortunately, Magecraft had yet to find a way to cure viruses of any sort, including the one she brought home from their excursion to Tokyo. On the other hand, Rin Senpai caught the same flu, and she had no one to pamper her. Or maybe she crashed in one of their free bedrooms? She couldn't quite remember. Things muddled over the past few days.

"Don't apologize, Sakura." Through her watery and burning eyes, she saw Senpai's beautiful smile illuminating the room like the sun. "If I get sick, then you take care of me." Though, he apparently never got sick for some unexplained reason. "Sleep well." He closed the door, unwilling to hear a response because every sound she made felt like gravel down her throat.

It was a funny sensation. Rape. Beatings. Worms. They gave her emotional and physical hell, but it felt different than the Pale Rider's domain. No matter how many times she felt Shinji's hands or a worm's segmented body slide over her bare skin, sunshine felt warm and cherries tasted sweet. Now, breathing in life-giving oxygen hurt. Shivers raced across her body no matter how feverish she became. Her eyes told her she was tired no matter how much sleeping she accomplished.

This flu also made her dreams eccentric, so it let her distinguish between real and fake.

For the past two nights, she dreamt of a magical land filled with the most innocently childish things. Tonight, she continued that dream.

Sakura stood from her bed and skipped out of the tiger's castle under the gaze of silver moonlight. No matter how much she liked the castle, it had a metallic shine that made her squint too much. Also, the tiger roared a lot. So, she dusted off her frilly, white dress and went to town to visit the local animals.

_Go-go!_

Of all the things in the dream, she liked the dress the most. Most girls pictured themselves as a princess at some point in their early years, and Sakura was no different. She imagined wearing a finely crafted gown. It sparkled in in the light with its brilliant white threads. It almost looked like a cross between a princess's garb and a western wedding dress. It went all the way down to her feet and had a top cut low enough to show her knight in shining armor what awaited him every night. Oh, and it also had a pink flower on it. A very pretty and pink flower, a cherry blossom surrounded by the pure and unblemished white of the fabric. Not a hint of soil or stain touched her clothing.

She waived at Mr. Platypus who baked cookies and hugged the Miss Lion who guarded from troublemakers like Mr. Hound. All of them were very huggable because all of them were plush toys, but they talked and walked like any other person. All of them knew her name and smiled when they saw her.

_Go-go!_

Sakura giggled like a little girl and rushed off into the woods. The first time, she met Miss Kitty Cat and practiced her roaring skills. Last night, she found a bush that fell on top of a little mole's home, so she pushed the bush over. The little mole even hugged her! It made her cheeks redden because she never had a mole hug her before. Then, she ate candy because the bush was a candy bush.

_Go-go!_

She crossed a bubbling stream over the big red bridge made of carrots. She leapt over an ant hill where ants made sandcastles. She stayed away from the spooky forest because it was spooky. Miss Lion once fought a bad thief there who tried to steal all the world's shiny things. That was mean of the thief. Everybody deserved a shiny thing.

The girl stopped skipping in the chasm of presents. It had present, big presents. Stripped presents and polka dotted presents. Small presents that fit in her hand and ginormous ones that towered overhead like trees. Why did she stop skipping? She looked in between two of the ginormous presents and saw four creatures in its shadow.

_Oh no!_

The first was a nice little girl pixie that looked lost. The pixie had a cherry that matched the color of its wings, but three plush badgers surrounded the pixie and smiled with crooked teeth. She knew they were bad badgers because bad people have crooked teeth and surround little girls. They looked hungry, but that wasn't any excuse for stealing.

No, no, no! People shouldn't steal other people's cherries. How could the pixie ever get hers back? So Sakura puffed out her cheeks and marched towards the plush badgers to save the pixie. She pointed her finger at the bad guys and scolded them. The words she used slipped her mind, but she new it was a good scolding.

_Oh no!_

They didn't listen to her! They ignored her! How rude. Since they tried to take the cherry again, she ripped apart the plush badgers like unwrapping a birthday present. They were mean, and one scratched her right arm! Along with way, she made an important discovery. The push badgers weren't plush badgers. They were pinata badgers filled with candy! She ate so much candy, gorging herself on it like a glutton on Halloween. She offered it to the pixie, but the pixie seemed happy with the cherry.

_Go-go!_

Since the pixie was lost, Sakura brought it back to Miss Lion for protection. Then, she skipped home to the Tiger's castle before daybreak. It was a very productive night, and she even did a good deed!

She opened her eyes.

Senpai stood over her. Her head throbbed from a headache, but she smiled at his presence. "Oh, sorry to wake you. I was wondering if you were awake yet… Um, you should eat something. I'll also take your temperature." She nodded. He placed a thermometer in her mouth and left for the kitchen. She waited and felt the cold plastic and metal object with her tongue. He returned with a bowl of steaming soup. Taking out the thermometer, he sighed in relief. "Hm, your fever broke, Sakura."

"That's goo-" She paused to grunt and held her arm. The girl pulled down the covers and up on her pajama sleeve to see why it felt so sore.

Senpai saw it too, so he scratched his head in confusion. "When did you get cut?"

She had a small line of red just below her right shoulder. Not wanting to aggravate her throat, she shrugged.

"Oh well," he mused. "I'm just glad you're recovering from this flu."

She was too.

Sakura stopped having weird dreams after the fever passed. Four young men disappeared during that same time, but nobody really missed them. They were rapists after all.

* * *

Author's notes: First, thank you for all the support all of you have given. I really appreciate all of these favorites and follows, and I do consider all of your comments. Reviews tend to help me see different perspectives too.

I also want to say how this chapter seemed... off-beat to me. It went through a bunch of revisions and turned out to be my shortest one yet. The Christmas scene also was coincidental to this being the Christmas season.

As for the reviews, a lot of you inquired about who'll be summoned. I'll be choosing based off how much sense it makes for the characters (Heracles is likely because it makes sense for the Einzberns to still use him, Cu is likely because because Bazett's wish was to save Cu from his fate, et cetera) and story (in other words, who'd make the best partner for Sakura et al). I also don't want to use a concept that'd probably work better as its own story. (For example, I feel like servant Mash deserves her own story, and I wouldn't feel right tacking her on. The same goes to Pseudo-Servants like Ishtar, though a Grail War fought by only Pseudo-Servants would be funny.)

As for pacing, there is a somewhat notable sub-plot that'll occur before the Grail War besides the things I already have in the story. My original goal was to summon the first servant by 60k words but... I think it'll be longer than that. Still, the pacing is faster now than the Grail War.

Feel free to suggest servants though. It's fun for me to see what you think. Mash, BB, and Kiyo were the three most suggested for Sakura which pleasantly surprised me.

Last, why did I give Shirou a B++ Noble Phantasm so early? Minamoto no Raikō used Doujigiri Yasutsuna in both real-world legend and in Fate (in which she killed Assassin class Shutin-doiji with it). Today, you can find Doujigiri Yasutsuna in the Tokyo National Museum along with an amazing amount of other cultural treasures. In case you're wondering, I spent several hours looking through real-world blades tied to Servant-worthy or legendary people, though Doujigiri Yasutsuna seems to be the cream of the crop. (Really, it's amazing we still have it.) If you know of any weapons from Servants or legends in irl museums, could you post that in the comments? That'd be wonderful.

Enjoy the holidays!


	7. Chapter 7

The empty halls reverberated from the remaining students' faint echoes. The sun neared the horizon and tinted orange. Shirou wiped his brow as he contorted himself to reach the air conditioner unit's backside. Over the past few years, he became a handyman of sorts among the student body. Clubs, including the student council, only had so much Yen to allocate, so he noticed how many had broken objects like heaters in their rooms that they couldn't afford to fix. Even when he did Magecraft hilariously wrong, Reinforcement and Structural Analysis worked in tandem with traditional tools to fix the problems for free.

Even so, why must the broken part always be in the least convenient location? Then again, no one remembered heroes who completed just the easy tasks.

_His father sat on their porch and reminisced about his dream. A Hero of Justice. That same man killed hundreds if not thousands. Why?_

Just as he finished tightening a wire and Reinforced that troublesome area, he heard footsteps approach the room… the theater club room if he remembered correctly? Maybe it was the board game club. Either way, somebody asked for help, and he had the time to spare. Tohsaka and Sakura went out to do something this evening, though they didn't mention what. He decided not to pry.

"Ah, Emiya." Issei's deep voice greeted him. Shirou closed the maintenance hatch and sat on the floor. He nodded at his friend and the student president. "Thank you for helping the theater club. While they wouldn't need air conditioning for months, you saved them considerable funds."

Perhaps he had a way of attracting unusual friends, but Issei was anything but average. He lived in Fuyuki's temple with his adopted father, the head monk. One day Issei would inherit that same title or just be a normal monk. Regardless, he'll shave his head after graduation. It also meant he spent most of his leisurely hours with serious adult men, giving his speech patterns a formal tinge.

"It's no problem, Issei." He waived off the praise but observed an even more serious face than normal. "Is there something on your mind?"

"Ah, yes. You noticed." He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "While I am pleased to find you've been spending less time at school after closing, I did hear unsavory rumors that I would like to dispel. Pardon my bluntness, but it would do the school body no good if one of the most well-mannered students tarnished his reputation."

"I'm listening." He didn't want the student body to suffer from false rumors. If he could stop that problem, he would.

"It concerns your interactions with the Tohsaka witch and your living arrangements with an underclassman." Shirou kept his face neutral as his friend essentially gossiped about real events from a somewhat misogynic perspective. Plus, his dislike of Tohsaka was well-known throughout the school. "Is it true you've been associating with Tohsaka? Furthermore, are you living with a female?"

Perhaps living with only male, forever single monks hadn't helped with his views on women. Still, that didn't excuse his views, nor did it change the fact that his friend spoke the truth. He lived with a girl, his girlfriend. He interacted Tohsaka a lot, almost every day.

"Yeah." He nodded but didn't develop his answer any further.

"Oh, I see. It's good that the…" Issei paused mid-sentence. He opened his mouth before focusing on the window rather than his conversation partner. "Excuse me, but you said you are?"

"For months. I'm surprised our classmates hadn't found out, though we haven't spoken about it to anyone. Privacy and such." He shrugged.

The student president straightened out a wrinkle in his shirt and cleared his throat. "In that case, I must save you from Tohsaka's clutches. She clearly has deceived you and made you her minion, since her public persona of an idol clearly is a mask to hide her devious nature. Then, I must chastise you for inappropriate living arrangements for someone your-"

"Don't speak about things you don't know." The coldness in his tone surprised even Shirou. He stood and faced the accuser he interrupted. "I know you had disagreements with Tohsaka in middle school council, but that doesn't excuse grudges. She has very few friends, and I know she acts the part of the perfect student." He didn't argue with the minion aspect of the accusation because he felt as that one held too much truth to deny. "Still, she is one of the nicest people I've had the pleasure of knowing."

To be precise, she threw away the opportunity to make any wish imaginable and will risk her life just to help Sakura. No matter how a person acted in public or private, one had to be somewhat selfless to make that decision.

_"Did Shinji rape you?"_

_"I'm sorry."_

"And don't make Sakura sound inappropriate. It could make her feel bad."

"Sakura? Oh, Shinji's little sister." He shook his head. Shirou forced himself to not lash out in anger at the mention of that monster's name. He hurt Sakura. He raped Sakura. "I did see you walking with her once, so I take it she's living with you? No matter, you shouldn't associate with Tohsaka, though I suppose I cannot stop you if you're this passionate about matters." His shoulders slumped. "Still, you've changed."

Shirou titled his head to the side. "Do you think so?"

He nodded. "Indeed. You show more emotion and have even turned down a few clubs when they asked for help. I assume you had matters to attend with your female compatriots?"

"I guess so?" He scratched his head. "Probably. I don't remember the exact details. We've been learning a lot together. Plus, I don't think Tohsaka or Sakura have many other friends, especially Sakura. It's personal reasons for our living arrangements, but my guardian approved it."

He rubbed his chin. "Miss Taiga is energetic, but she does value the well-being of her students to a considerable degree. I will defer to her judgement."

"Thank you."

He shook his head. "No, I apologize for meddling in personal affairs as an outsider. I acted rashly and let my dislike of Tohsaka obscure my judgement. Please forgive me, Emiya."

_Emiya… The feared name of the Magus Killer?_

Shirou smiled. "It's fine. Just be kind to Sakura. I don't think I can change anything about you and Tohsaka."

"True. In that case, I will see you tomorrow." He left the room leaving Shirou alone once again.

He looked out the window. The sun touched the horizon. Yellow gave way to orange which now gave way to red. It changed, evolved. He wondered where Tohsaka and Sakura were. It could be dangerous at night, not for them but for any possible attackers. He felt sympathy for even the scum of society if they incurred Tohsaka's wrath.

He sighed. "I guess I have changed, at least just a little." The boy traced a small knife in his hand which took only a fraction of his Prana. "But I'm still a sword."

* * *

The sun lowered in the western sky and bled crimson. It stained the once white clouds into a pinkish-orange and tainted the ground in a rusty haze. The wind shifted from westward to eastward, so the pleasant aroma of sea salt surrendered to the hopeful musk of budding flowers. The evening birds chirped melodies as a brisk chill seized warmth from wherever it could find.

Children ran home to their mothers. Adults hurried home on foot, bus, or car. Like a kitten waking from its afternoon slumber, lights turned on in the households dotting the traveled road. The instinctive drive for a home's safety and a family's embrace engulfed the people of Fuyuki at evening's approach.

Among the populace, two girls walked together. Their footsteps treaded out of sync. The one with lavender hair took shallower steps, like the pitter-patter of a mouse. The other girl wore a jacket red like sunset and took wide, assertive steps. A passerby might mistake them for two people who happened to walk next to the other, but they were two acquaintances regardless. The younger and lavender-haired girl strolled with a peaceful smile. The firstborn glanced at her companion and would open her mouth only to close it again, yet despite her obvious intentions of saying something, she couldn't steel herself to say it.

The younger spoke without losing her smile, "Rin Senpai, what is it you want to ask?" Rin's confident strides faltered for a step, but she collected herself and resumes her previous pace.

"You never saw the cherry blossoms with Emiya." A cold breeze passed between them, so Rin clutched her jacket closer to herself. She didn't bother saying how she knew that the duo didn't go once, even though the three spent countless hours together. Outside of locations like the Clock Tower, not many teenagers could find a fellow teenage practitioner of Magecraft, yet three resided in the city of a magically backwater country. "So why me?"

Sakura pushed some of her hair behind her right ear so that Rin could see her unobscured face. "By this time next year, I'll either be free or dead." She spoke as though there was no alternative, though her tone suggested the girl couldn't accept anything else. "When I see cherry blossoms with Senpai, I want to be free. I promised myself that. I'm going to hold his hand and be as free as the petals … floating in the wind going anywhere. It's a selfish wish, but it's one I made." A single tear fell from her eye.

"So why me?" Rin repeated. Her apprentice held a personal kinship with the petal that shared her namesake. Sakura didn't invite her on a whim.

"Because you're my goal for next year," she declared followed by a giggle as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You're free, Rin Senpai. At least, freer than me. If I had your situation, I would've slept with Senpai months ago." Both their cheeks flushed at her forthrightness. "I wouldn't need to leech off his Prana like a vampire. I wouldn't burden him with my problems." Her smile changed to a stony stare at the road ahead. "I can't live my life with Senpai supporting me the whole way. I want to be like you… You help Senpai, but Senpai also helps you, doesn't he? He's a friend, one I think you needed."

Rin nodded. "So, you want to see the cherry blossoms on equal footing with the idiot."

"Yep!" Her cheery expression returned.

"I don't think that's a selfish wish." Rin neared Sakura as they walked until they touched shoulders. Neither commented on it, but neither moved away. "You want power over yourself solely to tell Emiya, 'Here I am. All of my being will support you.' Most magi devote their entire lives to reaching the Root. Most heroes devoted themselves to some ideal, people, or goal. So, is it wrong to devote your life to love? I don't think there'd be a point to anything if that was the case."

"Then what's your wish, Rin Senpai?" Sakura stopped and turned to the other girl. She tilted her head. "Just because we can't use the Holy Grail doesn't mean you don't want anything. Senpai wants to save lives. I want to support Senpai when he needs it. What about you?"

Rin's shoulders sagged. Her left eye twitched. "I'm…" She stuck her hands in her pockets, a rare position for the magus. "I'm not sure. It used to be making my family name proud, going to the Clock Tower and proving the Tohsaka family is among the best in the world. Now? I haven't bothered to think past the Grail War. Why bother spreading fame to a name like Tohsaka?" Her fists clenched. Neither girl learned if their father knew how Zouken would treat Sakura, but he wasn't an idiot. He must've at least suspected such horrors could've happened.

Even so, Sakura read between the lines. Rin didn't know why she should bother with Magecraft besides the fact that she could. The typical magus helped no one or perhaps even killed a few people. The Holy Grail War, a ritual that bordered on actual magic, took away her parents and hundreds of other lives. Magecraft caused Sakura to suffer.

To answer her question, Sakura pointed to her wrist. "Do you remember Ume?" Her worm wriggled as if responding to its name. "She was my first. Then, Momo and Nashi came from Ume. Now, I have almost a dozen Momos and Nashis, but I won't name anyone else Ume. She started this tiny miracle, so she'll always be special." The girl took a deep breath. "Senpai sees Magecraft as a tool. Since it's my only way to freedom, I do too. Maybe you could be an Ume with the Clock Tower. Change the way people see Magecraft so it becomes nothing but a tool. Reduce it from the ultimate path to something mundane, something that could help people like Senpai wants to." A sly grin rose on her lips. "Plus, Father would roll in his grave."

Rin's shoulders straightened. "So not only gain respect of others who view Japanese mages as inferior, but also fundamentally shift the way we use Magecraft."

"I think you can do it!" She chuckled. "Or, at least change a few minds. There's…" Her eyes lost focus for a moment. "I don't delude myself into thinking I'm the only one tormented by mages. Not all of them could be saved, but what if your efforts saved one?"

The elder sister sighed. "Fine. I'll think about it." She crossed her arms. "But I won't charge blindly ahead like a certain aspiring, gullible hero. I don't plan on getting killed any time soon."

"Okay. I prefer you alive too."

They resumed walking. This time, their steps sounded more in sync. The girl with lavender hair stepped wider, with more confidence. The girl wearing the red jacket stepped slower, more relaxed.

They walked under a tree with tiny flowers budding from its branches, but one of the blossoms fell. A worm blighted it.

* * *

Rin wasn't having a good day. It started off with her sleeping past her alarm. To be more accurate, it woke her up, but she fell back asleep seconds later. That made her late for mass.

Contrary to public belief among most of her classmates, Rin Tohsaka was a Christian just like every member of her family for centuries. Though, her family became Lutheran rather than Catholic after an Edelfelt married into her family… That was a long story… However, that didn't hurt their relations with the Catholic church. They had no other church to attend considering she lived in Japan, and they had a positive working relationship with the moonlit side of the organization. The fact that Rin maintained her family's yearly donations helped as well.

She didn't find the idea of attending church revolting, but attending the Fuyuki church made her queasy. It had nothing to do with the three elderly folks who attended every week or how it took an hour out of her glorious Sunday mornings. All her hatred from the building stemmed from the man who headed it, though the word man may be too lenient in describing him.

Anybody's first impressions of the priest would stem from his bad fashion tastes. Kirei Kotomine had a mullet. It looked wrong, like a homeless person claiming the Soviets will nuke the world this coming Tuesday. The hair attached to priestly garbs seemed contradictory, and that matched his personality.

Rin knew weird people. She was weird. Emiya had a personality that, besides anything to do with Sakura, existed for the sole sakes of saving other people and cooking. She feared Sakura might have something close to two competing personalities based off her mood swings between meek and venomous.

The damned fake priest could only be described as wrong, though she lacked the words to explain why. He said all the right things for a priest. He prayed for the weak, helped the poor, and turned out to be an adequate guardian after her parents died. Still, his words had a way of getting under her skin like a knife and twisting it, not to kill but to agonize. No matter how many times she thought over their conversations, not once did he lie or even seem to speak in malice. He infuriated her to no end, but she lacked the means to say he acted wrongfully.

However, being late meant she had to stay behind after mass, and that meant conversing. Conserving could be dangerous since she never bothered telling him about her new apprentices, the entire Matou situation, or the war. The first was to protect Emiya from his father's adversary and her blood-sister from his biting words. The second was to maintain her cover, since the time to act would occur during the Grail War. She didn't tell him for the third because she didn't like him and hoped to see him suffer at least somewhat.

"Rin?"

She blinked. Mass ended already, and the two of them were alone. Great. "Ah, yes?"

"You came in late." She wished his words held sarcasm or haughtiness, but the man spoke in truth always.

"I did." She bowed her head. "I won't oversleep again."

His cold footsteps echoed through the church walls pleasantly. The builders designed the structure with harmonics in mind. She suspected if they ever had a service filled with others, their hymns would sound much better that three old people croaking and her pitiful attempts to salvage the situation. He stopped beside her.

"Rin, a certain Scripture mentions that humans are superior to angels. Why?"

She did not answer because she didn't know. Countless creatures existed with some form of consciousness in times past and present. Generally, the superior ones like dragons had more power than humans. The weaker ones were less than humans due to their weakness; however, an angel could sleigh a thousand men without tiring. If anything, they reminded her of heroic spirits, so why were humans better than angels?

He spoke, "Because there are people who know of evil, but do not become evil. It's different from angels, who know only of good since birth. Humans have evil, but can live as good, so they are superior to angels, who know only good. What does this mean to you?"

She tilted her head, a habit she picked up from her apprentices. She answered the question based off what she suspected his answer to be. "It means I have the choice to be good or evil, so you're telling me sleeping in was a sin that I chose to commit. That infers I'm acting inferior to angels unless I overcome my shortfalls." Or, to put it another way, he called her inferior to the three old people who showed up early and himself.

"Good. Confession is a step on the road to salvation." A small frown graced his annoying lips. "Though, I miss having conversations like this with you, my young charge. You never seem to find time to visit me these days. What could pull you away so much that you don't have time for a man of God?"

If she answered truthfully, she'd tell she'd rather deal with pop quizzes, periods, or stubbing her toe. In order to leave the building sooner, she answered, "I'm sixteen. I'm branching out." She spoke as though the former meant the latter. While a mature lady for her age, Rin lived on the earth no longer than all her peers at school, so she dealt with the same problems with growing up as they did. In a certain sense, she made friends behind her guardian's back with Emiya and Sakura, an ironically normal choice for many teens.

"Beware of pride, my child. The original sin had Lucifer fall, and it can to you as well." He shook his head. "Go and live your life, but don't let your duties as a child of God or life fall to the wayside."

Rin suppressed a cringe and exited the building, fully ware that she had failed miserably as a magus. While she felt self-pity at the loss of her mother and father, Sakura survived in a disgusting hell without friend or kin. As she practiced Magecraft, Sakura was violated night after night by worms for the sake of Magecraft. It hung over her head like a stormy cloud, threatening to drench her; however, Sakura persisted. She couldn't allow herself to falter when the victim carried on.

Still, she now felt like shit.

When the magus reached her home, she buried herself in her work. She scoured every legend and famous hero or villain in history. The more she knew about her potential enemies, the better. She read over the mountain of Matou texts in her library. If that worm ever set foot in the Matou library, he'd find nothing but dust. If Sakura didn't take it, she did with the caveat that her apprentices could take the books anytime. She practiced her Magecraft and expanded upon it by integrating Zouken's lifework. There existed a surprising amount of success between marrying a Magecraft based off "taking Prana from there and putting it here" and "storing Prana here to use it later".

The Tohsaka family had its own Magecraft, the Magecraft integrated from her Edelfelt ancestor, and the Matou Magecraft. Did that mean other magi could criticize her family for being thieves? Maybe, but it also meant she had the potential to enter the Clock Tower's school on her merits of being a terrifyingly dangerous magus. Magi respected power. No matter how much they disliked their backwoods brethren from Japan, they couldn't argue when that hillbilly entered their pristine tea party carrying a massive gun.

Plus, she had the distinct feeling that keeping Emiya and Sakura alive will take a lot of resources. Until Emiya realizes self-preservation is a good thing and Sakura doesn't have Zouken's worms, she has two very killable apprentices.

Speaking about her apprentices, she sent them on a mission to Fukuoka to search that city's museums. Noble Phantasms displayed publicly act like ammunition for Emiya. While his creations downgraded by a letter, they provided them an insane amount of versatility. Over the past few weeks, he visited cities for their museums every week. While nothing compared to the treasure trove in Tokyo, he accumulated several Muramasa blades which require blood to be sated, the powerful Monster Cutter, and the WEIRD Crescent Moon.

In fact, Emiya didn't mention anything about the blade until Rin confronted him about it, considered to be Japan's most beautiful of their Five Swords under Heaven. It could be called one of the few modern Noble Phantasms empowered by the present instead of the past. For hundreds of years, it acted as an E-rank Noble Phantasm simply because it was a master bladesmith's masterpiece and passed down from powerful warrior to powerful warrior.

Then, girls and anime happened. Rin didn't watch television nor did she own one, but the blade's history told how a recent anime had famous Japanese swords personified as pretty boys. While it further convinced her that television was stupid, it also empowered the tachi. Noble Phantasms existed either through the collective belief of mankind or from being created with connections to Magecraft. For example, Excalibur held power from its fairy creators while Billy the Kid's pistols became Noble Phantasms because of the notoriety of his legend.

In this case, thousands of preteen and teenager girls fell in love with the show which had Crescent Moon be its poster boy. Those girls believed that an association existed with animated reality and that real sword, thus Crescent Moon gained a side effect. Just as they fell in love with the two-dimensional sword-boy-thingy, the sword grants the wielder female affections like Diarmuid's love spot at an E rank.

Rin learned she and Sakura had E-rank magical resistance if they pumped a small amount of Prana through their bodies. Taiga did not. To this day, that remained the only instance were Emiya and Sakura asked her to erase part of their memories. On the other hand, it could mess with female masters long enough for Emiya to incapacitate or escape from.

However, they appeared to hit something of a standstill. Besides Tokyo, they were hard pressed to find accessible combat-oriented blades, and Emiya refused to break into any building to find one. A certain shrine, for example, held the Seven-Branched Sword which would count as a conceptual weapon most likely, one for binding others under your rule or something like that. The other alternative was to visit Europe, but Rin couldn't come up with an excuse for such an expensive endeavor when the money could be better spent on her jewels or a catalyst.

Her Bounded Field tripped, ripping the girl from her thoughts. It matched the signature of a familiar person, her mail carrier. The girl walked up from the basement and collected her mail. It mostly consisted of credit collectors for her family's debts, spam for meaningless things like a jelly of the month club, and a newspaper. The newspaper at least helped her with her duties as Second Owner. A story the fake priest told her that she appreciated was of the Second Owner of Copenhagen. He found a vampire because the local newspaper headlined, "Mysterious Death Caused by Puncture Wounds! Vampire?" It turned out to be a vampire.

As she tossed the junk in the trash, she saw a personal letter to her addressed from Tokyo. No matter how fortunate they were to find Monster Cutter, its public existence still possessed a risk to the people of Tokyo. While she could hardly care less most of the time, rumors of powerful Dead Apostles coming to Japan made her weary, so she asked the Second Owner why he allowed the situation. It had nothing to do with Emiya's heroic tendencies rubbing off on her.

She opened the drab and rectangular envelope. The handwriting was polished from decades of careful existence. If memory came to serve, the magus reached seventy last year. The words inside presented both an added point of annoyance in this bad day and a golden opportunity.

_To the Second Owner of Fuyuki, young Rin Tohsaka,_

_While I appreciate your endearing attempt at warning us of a powerful Noble Phantasm on public display, your worries are unfounded from your field trip discovery. What you saw was a reproduction of the highest caliber which could fool any of the untrained masses and most magi. Three generations ago, my grandfather reproduced that sword using our brand of Magecraft, one involving metalworking if you were oblivious to that too, and endowed it with enough Prana to give the impression of a Noble Phantasm._

_It is well known among Japanese magi that what my city displays is a high-quality fake. Your father must've never had the time to pass down that information before he died young. I suggest you attempt to live longer than he did in order to properly train your descendent. It would be quite embarrassing for them to make an amateur mistake due to your failure in teaching them. _

There was more to the letter, but Rin didn't see a point to continue reading. Not only did the owner establish that he was an asshole, he also confirmed a theory she made. They Second Owner of Tokyo hid Doujigiri Yasutsuna, monster cutter, in plain sight. Emiya might be an idiot, yet his Structural Grasping surpassed anything magi could do to this point. Maybe the magicians thousands of years could, but no one bothered to record how well Merlin could analyze a sword.

Knowing this information, she took what seemed to be the most logical action after verifying her theory.

She planned to steal an insanely powerful Noble Phantasm, embarrass or possibly kill that damned haughty Second Owner of Tokyo, maybe get Emiya access to see some of the Clock Tower, and most importantly… make a lot of money. Oh, and have her apprentices find more swords.

If anyone claimed Rin Tohsaka wasn't a kind person, they'd be wrong; however, if anyone claimed that she was a vicious one, they'd be right.


	8. Chapter 8

**Time: 0 days, 0 hours, 5 minutes**

Sakura blinked in confusion. Her head shook with a high-pitched ringing while her mouth felt dry. Had the circumstances been different, she would've sought water, but other matters held more concern. A pool of some liquid gathered in a circular puddle centimeter from her nose. She absently wondered why she was lying on the cold stone floor. Curiosity got the best of her, and she reached her hand forward to touch the liquid. She noticed that most of her knuckles were bloodied, as if she dragged them across rocks, yet she didn't feel pain, none at all.

The girl dipped her pointer into the liquid and rubbed it between her fingers. It felt sticky and warm. Sniffing the liquid, it reminded her of metal. After seeing the color, red, the realization struck her. She looked down at her chest and poked between her breasts. A wide, red stain soaked the upper half of her body, and a hole bleed out like a leaky garden hose.

_I'm dying. Time to fix that._

The blood stopped flowing out, and the girl smiled seeing why. She wanted to thank it with her voice, but she spit out blood instead. At least it temporarily solved her dry mouth problem. Since she still wanted to make a kind gesture, she mentally thanked her worms, in this case Ume plugged the hole with her body. As if becoming aware of all her worms, she felt them working in tandem to do anything to help. One absorbed the blood clogging her lungs. Another filled the hole in her back. She felt three disappear entirely, though she felt an almost lethal amount of Prana surge through her body and force her tendons, muscles, and bones to reform. Even that damnable Crest Worm contracted and relaxed around her heart, acting like a doctor forcing her heart to pump blood. Even so, she felt that one operated because of Zouken, not her other worms' benevolence for their mother.

A stray thought stole her attention. If she was dying, then someone had the idea to kill her and almost succeeded. Even more terrifying, where was Senpai? Of all places, she seemed to be alone in a gothic church, though she had a hard time telling. Half the building seemed destroyed with a smoldering stone wall, and the orange glow of a fire flared outside.

Sakura pushed herself to her feet as another worm committed suicide to create an electrical pulse. With her heart kickstarted, she stumbled forward looking for her Senpai. Part of her mind knew she wasn't thinking clearly due to blood loss and enough adrenalin to get high. It didn't matter. Senpai will hold her in his arms, and everything will get better.

It occurred to her that she was deaf, not realizing that only a high ringing filled that sense. Not able to trust her ears, she looked outside of the collapsed wall.

A fire burned close to the ground consuming grass and weeds alike, bringing enough light to stop any chance of night vision but fell short of illuminating properly. None of the stars could pierce through the light, but the fire danced across the fields and draped a smoky veil over the battlefield. Nothing else lit the world, since the church stood alone on top a hill. Everything became a hazy, grey mess.

She spotted four figures, but her vision failed in identifying them. One used Wind Magecraft while another used familiars or perhaps chimeras. Either way, the monsters circled the other two. Another wore a red something… Green burst of light erupted from her fingers and gave a glimpse at the bloodied, exhausted mage. Rin's eyes were open in terrified shock. Her lips twisted into a grimace. Blood dripped all over her body, staining her clothes. Her right arm hung limp.

Below her, the final person didn't move. His shirt hung in tatters. With the flickering of the streetlamp, it showed the disgusting reality ripped onto Senpai's flesh. A large claw mark started just below his neck and ended at his navel. It ripped out ribs on the way down and some of his intestines lied uselessly outside of his body. It was as if his skin had been peeled off like one would do a candy wrapper.

Senpai died. Shirou Emiya died. Her first friend died. Her hero died. Her savior died. Her world died. Her hope died. Her love died.

Dead.

Her reality shifted from one of hope to one of nothingness. The pinnacle and sole recipient of her aspirations died while she bled on the ground. There was no final goodbye. No forewarning. One moment, he smiled about finding a genuine legendary sword. Then, she woke up to find his body. What point was there to living now? Revenge? Living for the sake of living? She couldn't bother with either, since all she wanted was Senpai to smile with her. To live a long and simple life with her. To die in their old age and rest in death together. Now? Her wish for existence became a hollow, impossible dream.

Sakura Matou let a decade's worth of torture, hope, and misery out in a scream she couldn't hear. She didn't fall to her knees since there was no point. She didn't feel the blood drip from her hands as her fingernails dug into her flesh. She didn't notice her magic circuits flare until they burned her skin. She didn't see the Command Spells glow so brightly, they shone through her glove.

All what mattered was a single thought, one shared from her conscious mind to her darkest subconsciousness.

**_I want him alive._**

She wished to save Senpai with the entirety of her existence, so the Grail responded.

Sakura neither incited any verse nor had a catalyst. It was too early for the Grail to contribute Prana for the summoning, so she muscled her way into accessing the Throne of Heroes much like a lonely albino girl would do months later. Besides her first three blood worms, all her children committed suicide to pour their magical essence through her circuits. The Command Spells branded themselves to her flesh due to the sigil she and Senpai created months ago. She long since wondered where the extra Prana disappeared to, but it was absorbed into the spells the sigil was drawn on. It created the thinnest of bridges between the Throne of Heroes and her flesh.

Lastly, she had to thank Zouken for the miracle, though he never dreamed of his efforts in turning Sakura into the Dark Grail could accomplish other feats. During her sessions, he absorbed the Fourth War's Tainted Grail into his worms which in turn absorbed into her circuits. The part of Sakura that connected her to Magecraft also connected to the Holy Grail.

To simplify, Sakura had the singular chance to call out to the Throne of Heroes, so she did. Even if she knew her life led her to this point, she wouldn't have changed anything for the slightest chance of saving Senpai. She'd let herself be raped if it bred the desperation needed to summon a hero. She'd welcome her transformation into a worm-filled monster if it gave her the strength to actualize a long-since departed soul. She'd kill anyone tenfold if that death led her path closer to Senpai, close enough to protect him from the world. She'd do anything and become anything if it meant Shirou Emiya could live.

The girl pleaded for something to save Senpai, and her wish reached the Throne of Heroes with a feeling rather than an incarnation. In the same moment, a spirit responded. Their souls sung the same tune, one of violation and monstrosities but also of determination and love.

The pool of her own blood acted as the summoning circle. Blood contained Prana, and Sakura bled plenty. The circle flashed like a prolonged lightning bolt. One moment, nothing concrete existed, just a whirlpool of Prana. The next moment, a being stood that had the power to change Senpai's fate.

The summoner turned just as the flashing light subsided. The hero answered the summon and spoke words that she could not hear. Her hearing had yet to return, not that her other senses were failing as well do to her exertion. Even so, she trusted the figure immediately. They recognized each other like one war veteran could recognize another. Human and hero saw a victim.

With a hoarse voice, Sakura whispered, "Save Senpai." Then, she fell unconscious, her body's desperate attempt to save itself before she smothered her life's essence.

Her servant didn't hesitate to bathe the road in their enemies' blood. It was a familiar sensation.

* * *

**Time until Summoning: 10 days, 15 hours, 12 minutes**

"Trace, on," Shirou enchanted. With those words, he took a snapshot of the building and the items within. People, artifacts, and even the wires inside the walls carrying electricity all came together to fill his mind's three-dimensional imitation of Monster Cutter's room. To be honest, the sudden influx of information gave him a headache even after several months of Tohsaka's brutal training.

He remembered her words well. "You suck at everything besides Structural Analyses, Reinforcement, Bounded Fields, and anything to do with swords. Therefore, you're going to be REALLY good at them!" She spoke the truth. He became more efficient with his Prana. He could Reinforce items to the brink of their inner stability, including his body. He could see a room full of moving people, or in this case, find the tachi's precise location.

"Sakura," he stated, though his voice sounded too soft for their situation. "From where your standing, it's pointed away from you 2.65 meters to your left and 7.42 meters in front of you."

"Yes, Senpai," she answered, confident in her abilities. In the same way Tohsaka focused on his few areas of expertise, Sakura learned her own unique element, Imaginary Numbers or Hollow. Both terms worked, and both terms described how her Magecraft functioned. To be perfectly honest, he had no clue how it worked even though Tohsaka insisted everything revolved around mathematics and Non-Euclidian geometry. Either way, it had several uses. servants were highly susceptible. It could create what appeared to be spikes but were actually… hollow reality taken shape on a specific plane of existence? Something like that… And lastly, it worked really well for storing things.

What did that mean? It meant Sakura could invert reality in specific places and did so to an accuracy within centimeters. While that didn't mean she could suddenly steal an enemy's internal organs, it meant she could open an entrance under a certain Noble Phantasm and keep it there until they needed it again.

"And we start in three, two, one," spoke Tohsaka before he sensed her surge of energy through the walls. The world became a shadowy blur as the windows became the sole provider of light, and he felt Sakura opening her circuits for use.

"Done," she whispered, not the least bit exerted. When they first met, her Od levels stayed in the negative which meant she needed outside sources to exist. Then, her own familiars started appearing from within her body, and even Tohsaka had no explanation for why that happened. Sakura liked her worms, so he didn't feel bothered. They seemed to be more efficient than the other ones and even consumed several of Zouken's. She was nowhere near Tohsaka's output or even his, but they no longer had a need for transferring Prana.

…Not that they stopped kissing.

The lights came back on to show a smiling Sakura and a grinning Tohsaka. The latter declared, "Now, let's go to the airport and meet that Enforcer!"

A moment later, someone shrieked when they realized a priceless heirloom disappeared. He felt bad about causing undue worry, but a dangerous weapon shouldn't be lying around. He protected people from an insecure weapon, helped his friends, and hurt no one. Only Tokyo's Second Owner will be punished. From that point of view, how couldn't this be the act of a Hero of Justice?

Yet, it still felt wrong and not because they broke the law. No, it simply felt too right.

_He listened as a disheveled looking man explain he was a magus, forever connecting him to the Moonlit world and the surname Emiya._

Was this what his father felt? Was this the road that promised him heroism but ended with nothing?

He glanced to his left and smiled. Beside him, Sakura and Tohsaka filled out of the building with the rest of the masses. Even if the Hero of Justice's path turned him into a dying man who never reached his dream, maybe it wouldn't be so bad so long as he had friends.

* * *

**Time until Summoning: 10 days, 10 hours, 36 minutes**

Rin stretched her arms and looked into the clear summer sky. For London's reputation for being a drab and foggy place, it gave a contradictory first impression of the three. If it wasn't for the blatantly European population and the lack of kanji, she could almost see this as an extension of Fuyuki; however, she could almost feel the power in the air. Within this city lied the Clock Tower, and within those walls stood hundreds of studying magi. Even more importantly, this school of sorts also collected magical artifacts which included their stolen tachi.

The heist went off without a hitch. Were it not for her forewarning the Mage Association of their plundering, they'd all be dead from the Enforcers. Instead, the trio have an Enforcer as a bodyguard until they donate a certain sword to the Mage Association. The woman refused to give so much as a name, but she acted and dressed professionally. Based off all the runes the girl could sense in the Enforcer's suit, she didn't doubt her combat abilities.

If anything, Rin realized why magi were so headstrong on keeping Magecraft hidden. They took the sword using three spells. Emiya traced Monster Cutter's room from the room beside it. Rin sent a surge of Prana through the building's power which shut off all electricity for a few seconds. Sakura used her element. They were thus evacuated from the building while the hapless visitor's in the tachi's room were held under suspicion of stealing the sword. For all the police knew, the priceless weapon vanished in the blink of an eye. They could become rich off theft so easily…

"Rin Senpai?" asked her sister. Shaken from her thoughts, she glanced at the girl for her to continue. "Your grin is scaring the children."

Observing the people around her, three toddlers were crying while several children hid behind the legs of their parents. "I'm n-not that scary!" she interjected. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "And stop staring at food, Emiya! You can observe the local cuisine after were done!"

He nodded and walked away from the hotdog stand, and it wasn't even a local food. Hotdogs were more of a worldwide phenomenon, but he must've been curious to see how England served theirs. She was actually wrong, and he happened to be looking in that direction for attackers when she saw him. Her nerves, on the other hand, were sky high.

While she would've enjoyed a short tour of England, especially since she will live here during her future studies, Rin watched the crowds as did the Enforcer. Sakura simply hung on Emiya's arm while he kept an eye out for both enemies and kept an eye on Sakura. Tokyo's Second Owner had been arrested, but families often held grudges in the moonlit world.

Ironically, the tachi was safer in the museum than within that family's vaults. According to Emiya's tracing, the sword was initially hidden with the family while a fake sat in the museum. After two attempted thefts, they switched the tachi with the fake which would've been logical if it wasn't illegal as Rin shooting the Prime Minister with a Gandr.

Her breath caught in her throat. After sixteen years, she finally saw it. Despite her fluctuating priorities and newfound sense of familial camaraderie, one goal persisted from her father to her child self to even now. The tip of the Clock Tower pointed towards the heavens, as if to showcase a magus' final ambitions. To reach the Root was to reach a piece of omnipotence, and to reach omnipotence was to reach godhood. Thus, the Clock Tower pointed up.

Even though they planned to visit several sights for Emiya's bladed arsenal, this was the sight that she shall cherish for the rest of her life. It started their two-week world tour marvelously.

She brainwashed Taiga into thinking they were on a long camping trip.

* * *

**Time until Summoning: 1 day, 8 hours, 4 minutes**

Sakura dried herself off feeling annoyed by western bathing, for they hardly seemed to bathe at all. Instead, everyone used showers, or at least all the hotels they stayed at had them. Why stand when you could sit submerged in tension-erasing, warm water? It mildly annoyed her which put the girl in a much better mood than her two companions.

Rin had been, for lack of better words, a moody bitch ever since she left the Clock Tower. While she wasn't privy to the details, her older sister got into a fight with their paternal grandmother's sister's descendent and caused enough damages to nullify any potential reward for returning such a powerful Noble Phantasm. They also slandered her as a barbaric savage from the Eastern lands and almost guaranteed she'll never be accepted as a student.

**_I_**_ remember those **sisters**. **I** wondered what happened to **them.**_

She and Senpai had a much better time sipping tea away from the Clock Tower. Rin feared some magus could seek revenge on the Magus Killer by killing his son, even if no one knew of the adoption in the first place.

Senpai entered a bad mood for two reasons. First, many of the famous swords they visited turned out to be fakes or forgeries. Even so, the belief from others made a few minor Conceptual Weapons. The Wallace Sword gave a slight boost in battle continuation. The Sword of Mars was an interesting case in that it was once considered the sword of Charlemagne. Either way, it was a fake in both cases, though it made the arm that wielded it impervious to E-rank magic and physical attacks due to the legend attached to it. Joyeuse was a fake, though enough people believed that it was made from the Lance of Longinus that it held slight anti-divine properties. Durandal was nothing but a rusty sword stuck in a rock.

On the other hand, two of the swords they found were genuine. The Sword of Mercy, while having a square end to connotate peace, did give a slight boost in charisma. El Cid's Tizona made enemies flee or decrease the parameters of a servant if the wielder possessed higher strength than they, but that didn't help much considering servants dwarfed humans in terms of power.

Unfortunately, this meant the only Heroic Spirit they could summon using a traced sword would be El Cid. While he would be a powerful Saber or Rider and Senpai said nothing but praise for the man's character, she wished they could've found more.

The second reason stemmed from the reason why she agreed to the trip in the first place. In order to put Monster Cutter in the archives, Rin had to enter the archives. By entering the archives, Rin saw other weapons. Since she saw weapons, her sister and boyfriend could share memories. If they shared memories, Senpai could Project the weapons.

It also meant Senpai had a thirty-minute session of feeling Rin's currently tumultuous feelings, and it worked as a two-way connection. According to Rin, Senpai had a grounded emotional backdrop. Even though he received several powerful tools, he became emotionally destabilized. The frustrations of the past few days compounded that to make him generally grumpy.

The fact that the Mage Association possessed twelve section for England alone but dumped Monster Cutter in an area marked _Eastern_ didn't help either.

She clothed herself in her pajamas and exited the bathroom. Rin snored softly in one bed. Emiya nodded in a half-awake daze in a chair. The other bed beckoned for an embrace.

_Better idea._

Sakura walked over to her first and most precious friend. She poked his arm and whispered, "Senpai?"

He blinked a few times and turned his head up to her eyes. She felt a moment of frustration as his eyes didn't linger on anything else but suppressed that feeling. "Ah, Sakura. Do you need something?" he groaned.

"You're sleeping with me. We're heading to Chiusdino tomorrow. I want you well rested, okay?" While soft, her tone left no room for protest. He didn't.

"Alright." Before he could change his mind, the girl grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. She dragged him in his sluggish state into bed where he promptly lost his remaining consciousness; however, she felt happy. He never tried to free himself from her grip, so his arm rested on her stomach. Rin insisted on using only one hotel room for both costs and safety, but Sakura felt safe anywhere if she was close to Senpai.

It made no logical sense. Of the three of them, Rin held the most power, and he tended to make decisions without thinking about self-preservation. If any of them will die in the war, she felt as though he'd be the one. Even so, she couldn't help but feel warm inside, like in the sole memory she had of her mother hugging her.

She planted a kiss on his forehead. He smelled of cheap soap, but she found it sweet because not of what it smelled like but who the smell came from. While she'd much rather spend the night in the passions of love regardless of her sister being in the same room, settling for this wasn't so bad.

She whispered a gentle affirmation before joining him in sleep. "I love you, Senpai." She awoke with a smile, not even bothered by Rin's beet-red face and stammering about protection.

* * *

**Time until Summoning: 0 days, 0 hours, -1 minute**

Rin couldn't move. Her mind and body knew no way to act in this situation. Her right arm throbbed in a pain that felt far too numb. Her nose smelt the poignant iron of blood. Her blood. Emiya's blood. The assassins' blood… and their blood stained the streets red.

Second ago, she fought for her life, though she didn't see much point to struggle. That bitch killed Sakura. The other two landed a killing blow on Emiya since the idiot shielded her with his body. So, she wasn't really fighting for her life. She merely wanted to kill at least one of them for revenge.

Then, the wind-using assassin, the familiar-using assassin, and all the familiars were cut down like a toddler squishing a beetle. Had she blinked, she might've thought that their heads spontaneously fell off; however, she did not. The heroic spirit slaughtered like an artist would paint a masterpiece. Quick. Efficient. Terrifyingly beautiful.

And she knew the figure was a heroic spirit and Sakura's servant. Despite the sheer impossibility of its early existence, Sakura surviving and summoning one seemed the least impossible of the options. As she wasn't a master yet, she couldn't see the servant's stats, though the agility alone must've been at least B rank.

As Rin still stood motionless, the familiar jumped to one fallen magus and punched into the corpse's chest with strength alone. Ripping out his heart, it leapt to the next and did the same gruesome extraction. She flinched when their savior stopped moving not a meter away from her and Emiya's body. It handed the two hearts out in an offering.

Its voice came out in a detached but unmistakably feminine tone, "Heal whichever one Master calls 'Senpai'. I will guard her." And the short figure dematerialized to presumably guard her master which comforted Rin. A familiar protects her master, since the master anchored the spirit to this world. If she gave the hearts for Rin to heal Emiya, then Sakura was at least stable. How she survived could be answered later, since Sakura would never forgive her if she let Emiya stay dead.

Then again, Sakura might learn necromancy should she fail, but no one would want that.

Pulling the last gem from her pocket, one she refused to use in the hope of using it to save Emiya, and the hearts of the two assassins, she incarnated a simple healing spell on the body. Like most everything in life, Magecraft became more powerful from two factors. First came efficiency. The fake priest had almost mockingly weak magic circuits, but he could heal this wound without trouble due to his skill. Second came power. Rin had yet to learn healing magic beyond the bare minimum, but she had no need to perfect that skill when she could simply pour an absurd amount of Prana into the spell.

Thus, she drained the final gem, the two hearts, and most of her body's remaining Od to do the equivalent of slicing bread with a sword. His intestines moved back into his stomach. His bone and muscles grew back like slithering snakes. His skin folded over his body at the bare minimum to prevent bleeding. Placing her hand on his chest, she felt it rise and fall while a heart pounded away. Satisfied, she dragged Emiya to the church with her functioning arm and set him besides an incredibly bloody but incredibly mended Sakura.

Were it any other situation, she'd have to flee with the unconscious two before authorities or the bitch who shot Sakura could come back, but she trusted her senses enough to believe the heroic spirit existed rather than her being a fantasy concocted by her muddled mind.

Lying down next to the other two, she mumbled, "Guard us from magi." She didn't hear a response, but she assumed that stemmed from her waning consciousness.

Her last thought concerned the proper time to have an emotional breakdown. Sakura and Emiya needed her calm for now. Maybe when they get back to Japan. Yes, then would do fine. All of this was her fault anyway.

* * *

**Time until Summoning: 0 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes**

In bustling and humid streets, a sole stopped mid-step after leaving the finest hotel in Macau. He wore a white shirt and black trousers that totaled more than some's yearly wages, and the clothes did little do hide the male's impeccable physique. His red eyes appeared sharp and cunning, like a warrior of old. His golden hair glistened in the afternoon sun. Until a moment ago, he was on his way to find the most magnificent casino in the city to sate his boredom.

Tourists and locals alike walked around the man. They knew not who he was, only the he radiated authority. His presence was like that of an adult standing among toddlers, so the toddlers instinctively knew not to bother their better.

"Ohhh," he noted and stared into the sun. The man didn't flinch. "How interesting." An amused smile graced his lips.

The King of Heroes. The First Hero. The Wedge of Heaven. The Oldest King. Gilgamesh. Half god and half man, the gods intended him to bind the earth into an eternal Age of Gods, but he led humanity into a new age, one of humans. Even so, he sensed the world shift from the presence of a long-forgotten power. Even if the power only lasted weeks or months, it changed the balance of things by existing.

With a single servant, the Age of Gods had returned.

* * *

Author's notes:

Welcome to the unexpected shift in the story where it went from a methodical preparation to a traumatizing start of the Holy Grail War.

The next chapter will deal with the aftermath, and also explain what the heck happened during the fight. It'll hopefully fill in the several gaps I intentionally left in this one, but the gist was they stole Monster Cutter, visited several museums across Europe for more swords, and got ambushed at the Abbey of San Galgano. Sakura thus summoned a servant early which I explained a little in the story for how that could happen using the world's mechanics.

Either way, Rin miscalculated. Stealing Monster Cutter has consequences. I also hope the countdown mark made sense. I wanted to do this section non-linearly but didn't want it to be befuddling.

I'll probably have a lot of questions stemming from this chapter, and most of the answers will hopefully come about next chapter. Please ask away though. Anyway, the Grail War isn't starting early. Instead, a summoning happened FAR too early which'll have major repercussions.

Also, thank you everybody for your comments so far. For instance, I didn't know about the Sword of Mars until one of you mentioned it. Since the servant being divine in nature ruled out a few possibilities, I can finally say Jack came very close to being Sakura's servant. While Jack did mesh with Sakura quite well, two abandoned children who became murderous monsters, another one made more sense. So, good job if she was your guess.

On the topic of servants, I do have everyone finalized for spirits and classes. Despite our three human protagonists being allied, winning or even surviving will be most difficult. I had a lot of fun with selecting characters who'd be dangerous and fit into this story. Oh, and El Cid won't be a servant, though he'd be an interesting one. I'd suspect he'd be around Siegfried's power.

Thank you for all your reviews, favorites, and follows. I wasn't sure how popular this story would be when I started on it, but I'm pleasantly surprised. Thank you.


	9. Chapter 9

The servant stayed in astral form and watched as Master slept. The doctors kept the three children in different rooms, though they placed them next to one another. Most of their efforts focused on the other girl. While initially the least injured of the three, the girl also happened to be the only one not healed through Magecraft. Her right arm sustained damage of some sort, but it appeared healable based off what the doctors said.

It didn't concern the servant because she concluded "Senpai" only referred to the previously dead boy. Nonetheless, she had the distinct feeling that her Master will ask about them both the minute she wakes. While the job of a servant depended on the spirit's own interpretation, she felt that the least she could do was help her summoner.

And what an odd summoner she received. The servant was perceptive, for her life would've been much shorter otherwise. She received summons in an unconventional fashion, and the Grail supplied enough information to let her know how blatantly wrong her existence was. She glanced outside from the hospital window and saw the lush green of summer. Birds chirped. People walked around in odd clothing unlike anything she saw in her time, yet the Grail War was set for winter. Her master, a young girl, performed the highest level of summoning possible.

To be perfectly honest, it dwarfed anything humans could do in her era. The lack of Mana in the atmosphere suggested it'd be even harder today.

She at least took comfort in the lack of a catalyst. Their personalities worked well together, though that also disturbed her. What horrors did that little girl face before today? Considering the dream cycle, she'll learn soon enough.

The girl opened her eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling. For a minute, she didn't blink or move besides breathing. Her Master lied there existing and didn't bother to do much else. Master didn't know about how her Senpai still lived, so the girl relied emotionally on the boy. Young love? Forced mental servitude? Simply good friends? She'll learn eventually, just like many other questions the servant had.

The monster didn't take physical form. It drained her Master of Prana, and the girl became hospitalized over Prana exertion. She also had the feeling the doctors would notice the sudden appearance of a… whatever she was.

"The one you called 'Senpai' lives, Master," she spoke through their familiar bond. Silent communication had several uses, especially for reconnaissance and combat. "So did the other."

Her Master's eyes focused. After blinking, she tried to speak but gave a raspy cough in its place. She replied using their bond. "Thank you."

She said nothing in return, for she saw no purpose in doing so. Her attention went back to guarding her Master from Magi, the only task she received so far even if it came from the hurt girl. Guarding the powerful but helpless from wolves… It felt familiar. Perhaps she was just the one but not the other two, though that did little to explain her Divinity… Their Divinity in her? It didn't happen that way in her life nor did she think the current day's legend of her called her existence a god.

Annoying.

"Miss Heroic Spirit?" Her Master called over the bond. She smiled from the bed, content.

"Yes?" She was no hero, but that explanation could come later. Her Master suffered a traumatic even, most likely one of many.

"I'm asking this not as your Master. I'm asking this as one soul to another. Do you choose to fight with me?" The girl tried to keep her voice calm, yet a worried tinge bled through. Her Master had no desire to impose her will on another, and the servant suspected that concern came from empathy rather than high morals. Considering she didn't use a catalyst, the girl probably had little to do with morals and more to do with pragmatic protection.

Even so, the familiar took a few seconds to give a reply. She doubted most other Masters would ask the same. "I do." She felt a hardening between their bond, like throwing dried wood on a fire. Apparently, what transpired qualified as the official agreement between Heroic Spirit and Summoner, though neither intended those words to be that way. She didn't mind. It saved time.

"My ears were ringing when I first saw you, so I couldn't hear what you said. Would it be alright if you repeated? If not, I understand."

"I've been summed as Avenger. Are you my Master?"

"Avenger?" Her Master titled her head to the side.

"I was supposed to be an Avenger, though this body has been… altered." She glanced at her hands. Her very delicate, very small hands. "My Divine Core changed me into my original state." By original state, she meant Goddess, though her Divinity matched that of her sisters instead of herself. It also made her look like a child. Despite the Grail ensuring she could still fight in whatever form it gave her, being in her smallest physical form felt disconcerting.

"Alter?" The girl sat up in bed which made a creaking sound. It most likely alerted others to her awakening, unlike their silent conversation. "Did I do that? I'm sorry, miss… Um, I don't know your name. I'm sorry."

"When Medusa became Gorgon, she ate her sisters. I kept some of my sister's skills along with some I accumulated during my life. I could be an Archer, Assassin, Lancer, or Rider. You can call me any, and I don't blame you."

"You're Gorgon?"

The altered servant didn't reply. Of all the names, that was one she liked least. She became a monster. Though insane, she could still taste the blood of her sisters when she ripped them apart.

Her Master seemed to grasp her familiar's thoughts. "No? You decide."

A nurse walked inside. The Grail gave her enough information on the modern era to recognize that. She knew man could fly with steel rather than magic. Hundreds of languages swam through her head. Females were even considered human by today's standards. The latter made her particularly happy.

She echoed the name on the nurse's name-tag. "Ana." The name held a great sense of irony that neither master nor servant knew of. The name meant _gracious _or _merciful_. She never received mercy, and she never gave it through her life. The name was chosen simply to hide her true name from others, especially since her altercations made identifying her even harder.

"It's cute. I like it," replied her master before she diverted her attention to the oddly worried nurse. She wasn't sure, but she suspected their facility had connections to Magecraft. The fact that the nurses, doctors, and nuns seemed more annoyed than horrified after she repeatedly dismembered approaching Magi indicated as such.

Her Master also called her cute, even if indirectly. She felt concerned over what else the girl considered cute.

* * *

Bright white light bulbs lit the room, the kind in the shape of long tubs. It tried its best to give a sunny luminescence, but it couldn't overcome its fake nature. Therefore, Rin squinted her eyes after just awakening. She felt a slight pressure on her left pointer and found a clip of some sort on it like a large pair of tweezers. She had little knowledge on the matter of technology, but the beeping heart monitor made her consider it to relate to her pulse.

Her right arm throbbed in a numb sort of pain which matched a numb fog in her mind, like the first few seconds after waking from a deep slumber. Having her mind tainted pricked her worry, but she assumed the pain medications numbed more than just her arm. Her clothes had been replaced by a drafty piece of cloth, and she prayed to God that a female… or Emiya changed her.

Her ears felt plugged which muffled most of the sounds she could hear while making others shard and irritating. Her tongue seemed to be wrapped in cotton, so she poked it with her left hand. After a second of prodding, she realized that she was wrong and would've died of embarrassment had anyone saw her. Lastly, the bed sheets didn't have a speck of blood which at least meant she wasn't bleeding anymore.

A nurse walked into her room carrying a clipboard but stopped after seeing a very irritated and somewhat loopy girl glare at her. "I demand to see the head doctor or administrator." Rin's voice held authority, though not in a snobbish way. The sense of urgency behind the tone suggested desperation. The nurse nodded and stepped out into the hallway.

Rin spent enough time with the fake priest to know she and the other rested on church grounds. Churches almost had a magical… flavor to them, similar but also entirely different than the shrines dotting Japan. Italy, on the other hand, remained one of the church's powerbases.

Being in the church's care made sense. Her family had among the closest ties to the church in the world concerning magi, even more so with her hailing from the irreligious Japan. She and two fellow minors were assaulted by belligerent magi on church grounds, or whatever was left after those three blew up half. Add onto the fact that Sakura summoned a servant in a war the church oversaw, and she knew this was among the safest possible places to be.

On the other hand, she had to know what was going on. If her suspicions held true, the newest Second Owner of Tokyo made her debut with a failed assassination attempt. Fuck her. Truly. The girl felt ready to annihilate any trace of that family, though she'll have to wait to see if her bloodlust stemmed from the painkillers.

_Sakura's blood splattered over her face. Some even hit her mouth, and Rin tasted the iron once giving life to the only family she had left. Then, Sakura fell over and died without any last words, just a look of childlike terror._

A jolt of pain broke her from her memories. All three of them probably could use a therapist, not that therapists worked in the moonlit world. Maybe that caused some of the rampant sociopathy and murder among their ranks. Her arm ached despite her medication, and her fingernails dug into the palm of her hand. Tiny droplets of blood stained the sheets.

_Emiya bled on the ground, his insides ripped from his body. He saved her from a killing blow meant for her. Her actions killed them both._

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just. He will forgive us of our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Those words jerked her from another downward spiral. She focused on the speaker standing in the doorway and would've scoffed given different circumstances. They sent her a child.

"I asked for the head, not a girl younger than me," she deadpanned.

"Ask and you shall receive." The girl gave the slightest hint of a smirk, one that reminded her of the fake priest which only worsened her bad mood. "Or at least receive the only one willing to talk with you. They're a bit concerned."

"And you aren't?" She didn't sense any Prana off her, but the moonlit world held more surprises than she cared for.

"I trust the Lord," she said with convincing conviction despite the stoic nature of her words. Had she sensed Prana, Rin would've suspected her to be a construct of some sort. "Also, I trust you won't shoot the messenger."

"What is it?"

The girl… nun? The speaker adjusted her hat before replaying, "Manaka Sajyou was apprehended within an hour of her attack. We also scraped off what remained of her two assassins, both free-lancers from Italy, from the dirt. Manaka will remain in church custody for the rest of her life as compensation for blowing up a rather pretty cathedral. Also, she won't set foot onto the same continent as you."

"The Sajyou family?"

"Only one living relative, a younger sister, remains. From the limited contact we had from her, I can only describe her as talentless and more of a church mouse than a magus in terms of personality." It made sense. Many families had a spare child in case the first died, though the child's only job was to exist unless the elder fell in some fashion. Or, one could be like her father and give the younger sister away to let her be raped and abused for a decade.

"The Clock Tower?"

"Neutral. They distanced themselves from the Sajyous to avoid the fallout. Plus, I believe they're terrified of Sakura Matou, especially after what happened to magi they sent to investigate."

At this, Rin titled her head. Up until this point, the nun spoke with a level head. Magi walked with death, so they had little reason to feel terror from anything… besides loss of social status or Magecraft.

"Oh, you haven't heard. I'm sorry. That was my mistake." Despite admitting her fault, something irked her about the way she said it. "The Grail can't summon a totally divine being." And water is wet. Where was she going with this? "Yet Sakura Matou summoned a god of some sort. Fully divine. Also not evil, my body reacts to evil spirits."

Rin didn't move. Had her brain been a computer, it would've short-circuited. "And the church isn't starting a witch hunt?"

The girl shrugged. "No one is worshiping him or her, and God overcomes all. Plus, who's to say she didn't summon Jesus Christ?"

"Shouldn't magi flock to us in order to study a god?"

The girl smiled. "They did, but they stopped after the god disarmed the magi in a very literal sense and proceed to drink their blood."

Well, shit.

* * *

Shirou awoke and went into action again. By this point, he could hug Sakura and whisper soft comforts in her ear before realizing he even woke up. Seven nights, probably twenty nightmares at this point. Every time, she woke up screaming and crying. The few words he could make out tended to be about him and him being dead.

He blamed himself.

She pressed herself into his chest. If she could crawl into his chest and wrap herself in it like a blanket, she would. Snot and tears soaked the same spot just under his left collarbone, the same spot she always drifted to. Despite washing his pajamas every day, there became something like a permanent stain, like how some shirts people always sweat in had dark spots along the armpits.

He listened as her breathing progressed from hyperventilating to a trembling quiver. The world passed by around them while the two leaned on the other. The parts of their body that pressed together moistened with their sweat. The summer night hadn't cooled.

"Shinji killed you," she whispered in a rush and finished just before her quivering breathing made talking impossible. He waited for her to continue. "I was alone."

_He lied in the burning inferno alone, waiting to die._

"You aren't, Sakura." He petted the back of her head. That seemed to calm her most of the time. "I'm here."

She didn't say anything, but the unsaid words couldn't be more obvious. _But you almost weren't. _He died. She died. They lived, but the fact of their deaths weren't erased. Their own mortal natures bared themselves to their realities. A speeding car. A faulty wire. An angry magi. A simple twist of fate could nail their coffins shut. Shirou dying didn't bother himself in the least. Sakura dying revolted him as much as it always did. He didn't know if it was possible to make that feeling more severe. On the other hand… he learned something, but he found that something hard to explain, like explaining the color purple to a blind child.

Being tortured hurt. Everybody knew that; however, how many people _understood_ it? People will feel sad if he died. He knew that, but…

Sakura's fingers clenched onto his pajamas.

For the past week, this forced him to understand. He never put much weight on his own life. It simply never felt like the right thing to do when others needed saving. Tohsaka told him more than enough times how warped that made his thinking, yet he couldn't see what was so wrong with just wanting to help others more than himself. Well, until now.

He hurt Sakura. She endured torture of every sorts despite having no salvation in sight. Seeing him almost die permanently tore her apart. How bad would it be if he died forever? Would she pretend she'd see him again just to maintain her sanity? Would she lose the will to live? Would she lash out at the world?

As her breathing leveled out and her grip lessened, he gently laid her back onto the bed. He held onto her hand as he slid under the thin cover. As she slept, he stared at the dark ceiling.

This girl wanted… needed him to save her. Of course he'd do anything to save her, but he wasn't stupid. His lack of self-value made his chances of an early death skyrocket. Given the choice between letting a child get run over or throwing his body in the way of the car, he'd always choose the latter. Now? If he died, he'd either kill Sakura or make her a monster. Either way, what made Sakura _Sakura _would end. He didn't want that. He wanted her to live, not because he wanted to save her. He'll save her because she's Sakura.

He decided that was reason enough.

"Protect her, after I'm gone." The words came from a patch of air in his room from a mouth unfamiliar to him, or maybe the speaker vanished before he could locate her. If he could guess, he'd say he heard an older elementary student or young middle schooler. The teen never saw Sakura's servant nor had Tohsaka interacted with the god after her summoning. Sakura didn't say much about "Ana" besides her being quiet and summoned without a catalyst.

Now, he knew she wanted to protect Sakura, though the way she phrased it suggested more than just helping. The Grail War will end, and Ana asked him to be with Sakura after that point. In other words… "I won't leave her," he whispered.

"Thank you."

Shirou smiled.

* * *

A magus and a nun walked into a café. Rin paused misstep, socially aware enough to realize that could've set up a joke. Had the last Sajyou asked them to meet her here in an attempt to throw them off? She shook her head. Asking to meet in her mansion would've made more sense. Make the other negotiators come to you. Instead, she asked them to meet at a café for brunch. If Tohsaka wasn't so well-acquainted with Emiya, she'd believe no magus could be so unlike other magi. Instead, she realized she might be the only normal magus in Japan.

She could live with that.

It took a total of two seconds to identify Ayaka Sajyou. It didn't come from her long-since memorized appearance, since the girl in question sat facing away from her. It came from the trembling teacup in her hands. She saw a teenage girl scared out of her mind and about to confront the woman who ripped her entire family from her arms.

Such was the curse of the second born. Either be peddled to another family of magi or not be the least bit prepared for filling the elder's shoes. Rin decided she won't let that happen to other second born, either hers or her sister's.

Caren, as she insisted on following Western naming designations, sat in the booth first. Rin followed after. Why was she still with the nun? The Church understood the power of positive working relationships, and Caren's duties let her have the time to sort the matter out, essentially acting as the Church's mouth in the negotiation.

They entered the café together on purpose.

The building had no special appeal. Nothing made it stand out except for the close proximity to Sajyou's home. It probably was the best fit between "neutral ground", "public", and "somewhat familiar". Even the seats stuck to her skin just a little too much to be normal. Oh well.

Rin gave a grin, one that managed to be the pinnacle of girlish innocence and murderous bloodlust all at once. Some of Sajyou's tea spilt from her cup onto its matching plate. Behind her glasses, her eyes glistened with tears.

Had it not been for those glasses, the girl matched the concept of Japanese beauty, though different that Rin's own. Her shoulder length hair, childlike face, and conservative clothing made her seem like the pretty wallflower to be protected than a woman to be lusted after. The heavy bags under here eyes and the red in her eyes suggested a lack of sleep.

Sajyou opened her mouth to speak, but only a quiet gurgle came out. Rin didn't relent.

"As you already know, I am Rin Tohsaka, Second Owner of Fuyuki. Shirou and Sakura Matou are my apprentices." She established her power immediately. "Besides me is the church's representative." And didn't even name Caren. She wanted all Sajyou's focus on her. It'd be easier to steer the conversation that way.

The girl nodded in a sharp, jerking motion. The nun watched and smiled, not even pretending to hide her enjoyment. The holy woman might've been a bit of a sadist. Rin spent a precious second wondering if all of those in the clothe were sadists.

"Ayaka Sajyou." She bowed her head, another show of deference. Maybe she put on a show. Perhaps the new Second Owner acted exactly as she felt. In the end, it didn't matter. Rin probably could do far worse than death if she pressed for it, all of it legitimate in magi interaction. The younger child's fate rested in the hands of a girl prone to petty, selfish ambition and a never-ending desire for material wealth.

_The day that Sakura left was the day Rin stared at an empty spot in her room. It once held Sakura's bed._

And yet, would she have done the same if the positions were reversed? If the Tohsaka clan resided in Tokyo while the Sajyou family controlled Fuyuki, would Sakura be the one quivering while Rin became a prisoner? Should she even act like a magus? Her family gained nothing but suffering from her father's maneuverings. Wouldn't she only spread the pain if she hammered away at this terrified girl?

"How much do you love your father and sister?" She sounded calm and inquisitive, like a teacher a few years into her career questioning a lazy student about homework. Her posture remained the pinnacle of lady-like perfection. Not a hair sprang out of place.

Sajyou set her teacup down, "I'll do anyth-"

"Would you like to place an order?" interrupted a waiter. His hair had too much grease. His teeth had a brownish stain from too much tea. His eyes linger just under the girl's eyeline… and directed at Caren of all people. Rin's eyes narrowed the slightest, the equivalent of berserker fury in most people. The nun was no older than Sakura when Shinji started raping her. Maybe she could practice her newest Gandr on the man. She'll use it on Shinji if she ever sees his face again, since it emulated Fournier's gangrene.

"I'll have what she had," she said while gesturing at Sajyou.

"Same here," echoed the nun which further signified they were on the same page to the other girl.

Despite her name, Caren had the slightest Asian features and could speak Japanese with just the slightest Italian accent. Rin added it to the ever-growing list of eccentricities of the young nun.

The man walked away after he finished giving upon them just a little too long. Rin moved the conversation along. "You were saying?"

The girl might have a heart attack by all the worry increasing her blood preassure to explosive levels. The senior magus would actually save her in that case and not just out of morbid curiosity on how the body could die from stress… Sakura and Emiya caused enough already, not even including how bad she fucked up.

"I'll do anything! My body, my soul, the city! Don't!" She paused to stop shouting. She managed to make it a loud whisper. "Don't kill Father or Manaka."

Rin sighed, like a mother whose child did something stupid one too many times. She forced herself not to flick the girl's forehead or roll her eyes. "Don't start a negotiation by offering anything." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "And you really are a hopeless failure of a magus, aren't you?"

The girl looked down at her hands, a terrifyingly _Sakura-like _thing to do. Her hair fell over her face which obscured any view. "I'm supposed to sacrifice a pigeon every day for our Magecraft. I now have a flock of pigeons." Which meant this girl was a bigger bleeding heart than Emiya, bigger even. If the ritual needed blood and she couldn't kill, there was only one other source available. Rin wondered how many scars lied hidden under her shirt.

She made up her mind. Sajyou turned out to be a peculiar mix between Emiya and Sakura, and she couldn't harm such a person after KILLING those two. "Your sister will remain in the church. She'll probably become an exorcist or executioner if and only if she doesn't go around killing CHILDREN." She paused to let that concept sink in. "Your father won't see any complaints from me or my apprentices. He'll probably have to give up a few of your Magecraft secrets and not be home for a few months, but he'll come back."

The mousy girl hadn't moved since the moment she realized Rin refrained from killing her family. The magus didn't bother to pause for a reply and thus continued, "And you'll be able to see your sister still. Being separated…" She couldn't stop her right eye from twitching. The average person would've grimaced instead. "Hurts… What I ask in return is twofold. First, stay this cities Second Owner and actually do your job with protecting it. You can't kill pigeons? Don't kill people either. Second, I want the Sajyou family to support the Tohsaka clan if we request it. Deal?"

The new heir stayed frozen in place, as if she felt too afraid to say anything and wake herself from a beautiful dream. Caren used that moment to add her opinion. "Tohsaka just gave you the most merciful agreement possible. Accept salvation while the offer stands."

Sajyou sniffled and made a dry swallow. Even people like her, _in_ the moonlit world but not really _of _it, knew to walk with magic was to walk with death. If magi disregarded their own lives, how would selfish humans value other lives more? And yet, Rin extended the olive branch over the sword. "I do," she whispered. "Thank you." She bowed her head

The conversation continued for an hour over teacup after teacup. The relieved girl spoke at length about her branch of Magecraft and the problems she invariably faced with it. How would one operate under a sacrificial system without sacrificing lives? Rin helped, even solved the problem. This branch of Black Magic, Witchcraft, used the Od from once-living bodies. Rin and Sakura discovered a Matou Bounded Field that did the same to the atmosphere. Thus, the genius solved and fundamentally changed the nature of Sajyou Magecraft.

She just happened to learn several Witchcraft spells while helping the girl.

On another note, a certain employee of that café entered a hospital two days later. He lost his manhood soon after.

They left with a polite wave at the girl while she bowed her head repeatedly. Rin felt… good about it all. She couldn't blame the younger for the sins of her elders, nor would she twist the situation to her maximum advantage without a damn given to others. Manaka Sajyou acted that way when she tried to… successfully killed Shirou. Her father used that thought process when he gave Sakura away. If she hated them so much, how could she act the same way and not hate herself? Well, more than she already does. She failed Sakura as a big sister. She failed her apprentices as a teacher and friend. The girl didn't want to hurt others anymore, not the ones she loves.

Love.

That emotion made her a poor magus. It made her a better human.

"I commend you on displaying a Christian's virtues," Caren remarked. "But you aren't redeemed by works alone."

"I know." The humid summer air stifled breathing. Her sweaty body clung to her clothes. She almost felt bad for her companion, wearing the all black dress of nuns worldwide.

"You could've learned her Magecraft in many ways, but you softened your heart." She wiped salty droplets from her brow. "Maybe anything else would make you a hypocrite?" Though posed as a question, it came out like a statement.

"Yeah…"

Caren stopped walking which forced Rin to as well. The girl put her finger to her chin in mock-pondering and postulated, "Christ forgives all. I believe your apprentices have as well. Do you place yourself higher than even God? Do you call your friends fools?"

"No." She shook her head. "That doesn't even make sense."

"Rin," she spoke her forename in total seriousness. "You'll face the fires of tribulation. You may be able to face the physical nature of the Grail War, but Satan's favored assault comes from within for a reason."

Caren was an exorcist, but in that moment, she turned out to be a prophetess.

* * *

Sakura hummed a tune her ears never heard before. She set bowls on the table full of steaming rice and vegetables. Tonight, she had control of the kitchen, so Senpai had to wait outside as she worked. He didn't fidget, but the way he kept on glancing in her direction showed he felt something close to annoyance. He looked cute.

She set one bowl in front of Rin. Her friend spent the last week figuring out ways to incorporate Sajyou arts into their repertoire. While Sakura felt thankful at her teacher's dedication, the heavy bags under her eyes suggested little to no sleep for days. They looked worse than the hers, and she managed to sleep last night without a night terror.

She set another bowl in front of Senpai. His smile caused her to return the gesture. Senpai didn't want to be a burden on others, but his death changed that outlook. Just a little. While he still didn't want to bother others, he realized trying too hard at that had the opposite effect. She'd gladly go the rest of her life without a decent night's sleep if it simply fixed him. How they wordlessly agreed to permanently share the same bed was the cherry on top.

She set a bowl in front of herself and hummed the same melody. It was an ancient tune from Greece.

Lastly, she set a bowl in front of an empty spot on the table. With school ending its summer break tomorrow, Taiga stayed late at school in preparation and thus packed a Sakura-made dinner.

Nobody filled the position, so Sakura crossed her arms. "Ana, I made enough portions for you."

No reply came.

"Ana." Seconds ticked by. A scary aurora emanated from the girl. None could tell if it better matched that of an irritated mother or a demanding daughter. "A family eats together."

A little girl appeared where once was nothing. Her hood covered most of her face while the rest of her cloak covered her body. She mumbled a soft "Thank you for the meal" and waited for the others to eat before she did.

They ate the rest of their meal in silence. No one seemed to mind. They were simply happy to have some semblance of a functioning family.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I always wondered why magi guarded their secrets so closely. As I'm writing this story, I can see why. When combining families' Magecraft, it seems to solve problems from the individual parts. In other words, Rin is getting increasingly powerful.

The war is fast approaching. Just two chapters to go before Fuyuki has a massive growth in its more magical population, and I'm excited about FINALLY letting most of my cast arrive. This story has yet to have much in terms of combat. Shinji died on a staircase while Sakura saw Shirou dead… That's very little for a Fate story.

Lastly, a few things I'll just clear up:

Why the weak Durandal? The only Durandal I could find was one confirmed to not be the original in France. By not being the real thing, it got nerfed. I'd suspect the Mage Association has the real one.

Will the Sajyou family have more to do in the story? Not really. Monster Cutter happens to reside in Tokyo which happened to have a canon(ish) magi family that fit into the story well. This let Tohsaka get character development (both good and bad), Sakura summon a servant, and Caren get introduced.

Will Caren be part of the main cast? Just a little. Her character was hard to write, a bit of the reason why this chapter took so long. This also isn't a Harem!Shirou route. On the other hand, the church will obviously be keeping an eye on the summed god and her summoner.

What the hell is up with Medusa, and which iteration is she? She's… You might get a better picture from her Parameters and one of her Class Skills. (She has a lot, sort of how Alcides gained a lot of powers in exchange for his immortality. Medusa went from A++ Strength and Endurance to C and D along with the loss of a few other aspects.)

"Ana"

Class: Avenger (Alter) (Lily)

Parameters:

Strength: C  
Endurance: D  
Agility: A  
Mana: E  
Luck: C  
NP: B+, A+

Class Skills:  
Goddess's Divine Core: EX

An amalgam Skill made from the Skill Divinity, the preservation of the mind and body, and the repelling of mental interference. It also prevents the prevention of body growth or modification, including long-term effects of Monstrous Strength.

So, if anyone guessed Gorgon or Medusa Lily, congratulations. You're correct because I'm not going to pretend anyone could've guessed Gorgon Alter Lily.

Why not just plain Medusa? The innocence of Lily and the monstrosity (and sibling murder) of Gorgon seemed to match this Sakura's personality better. This version will fit into the story and themes really well. Lastly, I have a different Rider in mind for another Master.

Thank you for all your support. Also, happy Valentine's Day. Be sure to spend some time with your loved ones.


	10. Chapter 10

Once upon a time, there were three sisters who loved each other very much. They existed within the Greek pantheon but were outliers from the rest. Besides the oldest of gods, all had parents. These three simply appeared. They came into being much like Heroic Spirits of the conceptual sort.

First came Stheno. The other gods realized the beautiful maiden originated from the yearning hearts of men. Man desired the perfect women, but the perfect woman existed as an idea unattainable to reach. Thus, as mankind yearned for what it could not have, Stheno formed as a god, close enough to know but too distant to reach.

Then came Euryale, the same as her elder in every way. Had they come at the same time, all would've assumed them to be identical twins. The goddesses of beauty and love became jealous, for what purpose did they have? Why be a god of love when the perfect females appeared twofold? Still, the sisters didn't mind for they had each other. Who better to be a friend and sister than one similar in all ways to the other?

Lastly came the aberration. In hindsight, the sisters were never copies. Instead, they formed as different aspects of the same concept, but none knew that until much later. Where her sisters showcased delicate curves and pristine smiles, the youngest looked like a girl unknown to womanhood. Where her elders held idolized confidence, the youngest did her best to remain unnoticed, like the runt of a pig's litter.

All were perfect women, but Stheno birthed from the concept of woman. Grace. Elegance. Wisdom. The soul who men would gladly live and grow old with. Men would assume her as the kind woman who welcomed them home after slaying a monster, yet Stheno's wisdom drove her to malice. What good was love if it came without prompt? What good was a man when your wisdom dwarfed his like a lion to a mouse? Men were nothing but creatures who'd violate her, convinced their lust was love. And thus, she veiled the hate she felt towards the creatures who spawned her being sweet words and a gentle smile.

Euryale birthed from the concept of girl. Purity. Chasity. Innocence. The soul who men imagined on a wedding day or their first foray from boyhood to manhood. She was the first love of men, yet Euryale's purity drove her to be spoiled. Men loved her for being pure, but they desired to be the one to take her purity. They loved her, but if man loved her, they'd lose the reason to love her. She hated man for what they were and emulated her sister. She hid behind a veil of innocence, though she interacted and manipulated men only to show them what they could not have.

Medusa birthed from the concept of daughter. Forgiving. Loving. Petite. The soul who men would protect and cherish in those dozen or so years between birth and her marriage to a fellow man. While thought to be an irregularity from her sisters, she came into being as a perfect concept of daughterhood. Alas, that perfection was the cause of her imperfection. All daughters must grow into a woman and leave the bonds between them and their father. Thus, while Stheno and Euryale stayed the same, Medusa grew in both beauty and power.

The other gods once mocked and said, "Look! The aberration is less beautiful than us! What a pathetic girl." Now, those same gods cried out, "Woe unto me when even the deviation surpassed us!" So they hated the youngest most of all; however, she held no ill will. A daughter forgives her father and kisses his knuckles if he scraped them, so she forgave her tormentors among the gods and her idolizers among the men. She loved all and wanted those she loved to be happy, yet she believed the words of the jealous gods like a gullible daughter would. She thought herself as a broken and incomplete god, one who hurt others. If she hadn't existed, wouldn't the other gods be happier? Wouldn't men still have her perfect sisters to idolize? Wouldn't her sisters not have such an embarrassment associated with them?

And thus, Medusa prayed in Athena's temple every day, for she was the goddess of wisdom and warfare. Surely, she wouldn't hate her like other gods, and surely, she could give her the wisdom to let others be happy or the power to at least protect her sisters. Then, Poseidon gazed upon the praying maiden and lusted after her flesh. He came down upon her and raped her in Athena's temple. Though the girl cried out for aid, none came. Instead, the gods said, "Look at that harlot who seduced Poseidon!"

After Poseidon left, Athena poured her wrath on the girl who defiled her temple. She stripped men of the love for the young goddess and the divinity the girl possessed. The goddess banished the girl to a barren island and placed in man's heart the desire to destroy her.

Thus, twelve years after her existence began, Medusa realized no god would help her. Yet, she felt no hate towards most who wronged her. The men were manipulated. Her sisters held no power beyond how men lusted after them, and they even followed her to the barren island. Athena? Poseidon? The jealous goddesses? She hated them and never stopped hating them. Like a small ember, the hate one day grew to a raging inferno, one that consumed everyone whom she loved.

Sakura woke.

Her hand reached to her cheek and felt tears. She was crying. Senpai turned over in his sleep, and a smile formed on her lips. There lied what she loved, but she will ensure he won't fall to her hate.

Stepping up from the bed in careful calculation, she slipped out of the room and into the bathroom. Her feet tapped the wooden floor with every step. She shivered from the autumn cool almost a year from when she first moved in. Opening the door, she turned on a light and splashed cold water against her face. This conversation could not wait.

"Ana?" she called out with the words of her mind.

Her friend responded not, though Sakura didn't hold that against her. Why criticize a part of the hero's personality? Ana acted when needed and spoke when needed. When not needed, she observed and waited like a guardian angel.

However, Ana came into existence behind her. She saw her cloaked form from the reflection in the mirror. In the vision, dream or whatever she called that experience, her friend never wore that rag while in the heavens. It was the first thing she procured after eternally descending to earth.

"I saw some of your past," she said, not sure if the god already knew that. Rin warned her about it weeks ago. Most masters started days after summoning, but they deduced the early summoning delayed that aspect of their bond. Now, just a few months before the war, she experienced her first.

"I know," replied the girl. "I'm sorry." With her hood over her head, Sakura couldn't see her face, but the hint of pain in her tone made her words sincere… empathetic.

"You saw some of mine?" she asked. The twinge of guilt bled through her words. What happened to her was horrible. Forcing her friend to experience the same, the same friend who will probably die to save her, felt wretched.

Without the slightest trace of a joke, her familiar droned, "Shinji has a tiny penis."

Sakura choked on a laugh. She placed her hands on her knees for support as she slid to the floor. Whether an attempt at dark humor or a simple statement of fact, she found it hilarious that the connoisseur of young girls had very little to offer. She had no one to compare him with after all. Her laughter chortled out of her mouth and morphed into sobbing. It was simply too much. Everything was too much.

She gasped as a soft hand pulled her to a warm chest. The girl realized Ana knelt beside her… hugged her, like a mother to a scared daughter. Sakura closed her eyes and accepted the gesture.

Medusa didn't say anything because she didn't need to. Her actions spoke sufficiently. As she felt the girl's breathing relax to a restful rate, she reaffirmed what she long since decided. She'll become the god who responded to the victim's plea, even though none came for her.

* * *

Across Japan, the more studious of teenagers dallied their Friday afternoon on homework, and if anyone asked a certain trio, they'd attest to the same. Unsurprisingly to anyone who knew about their more secretive activities, the three spent that time on another and life-threatening topic. On the other hand, teachers never ceased to be amazed by the perfect grades they received whenever the subject bordered on historical and mythological figures.

As a final change between how others perceived them and their reality, three people weren't working together. They totaled four.

In an unintentional throwback to the Arthurian legends, Rin and her three allies sat at a round table. They positioned themselves in equal distance from the other which signified the recognized equality between members. The brown oak top happened to be large enough to hold six members with elbow room. Rin bought it at the local resale shop, though she swore on it being from an ancient magus' workshop in Kyoto. No one believed her, but they pretended to for her sake.

She cleared her throat as six eyes focused on her, the recognized leader akin to Arthur and his knights. "We have about two to three months before the Grail War if it starts during the same time as the last four." She glanced at Ana who supplied nothing but a false name as her identity. "Considering our resident hero, we can't assume anything besides having three weeks to prepare." Every war had a three-week period where a selected master could summon a servant. "Right now, we could summon Rider or Saber El Cid, and we could summon Berserker, Rider, Lancer, or Saber Minamoto no Raikou. Ana, what do you think?"

Every servant received general knowledge of other Heroic Spirits from the Grail. In that way, servants who appeared after their precursors had no information advantage over their elders. For example, Blackbeard would know of a solemn, dragon-slaying swordsman from Germany by the name of Siegfried. It sometimes gave insight to where human research faltered. "Minamoto no Raikou. Too overbearing. El Cid. Moral. Good choice."

Rin nodded. "Thank you. We suspected that already. While powerful, Minamoto no Raikou might not work in a team. El Cid would. Considering my personality, I'll summon El Cid unless we can find a better choice or receive a catalyst from my church contacts. Any objections?" No one did. "And Emiya will either use nothing like Sakura or take another option if presented. Agreed?" They nodded again.

"Now, onto the topic of the four other masters." She cringed. A hotel happened to explode during the last war. She wondered how many people will die this time. How many children will lose a parent, and how many parents will bury their child? "They'll know I'll align with Sakura, and they'll suspect Emiya will if he becomes a master." The fact that he currently wore gloves enchanted to make people suspect anything attested to that eventuality. "I can pretty much guarantee the two or three Clock Tower masters will align at the start. The Einzbern master might join them."

Emiya cringed. His father worked with that faction in the last war, and in the third war, they summoned another Avenger. They predicted the other original family as the wildcard, for they showed their willingness to bend the rules. He just wanted to learn more about his father.

Rin sighed. "I'd almost want a Caster. Three servants defending in an area with Territory Creation could withstand almost anything. The same could be said about allied enemies doing that." She put her hands on the table with a reverberating thud. "But we also need power! No offence to you Ana, but you're basically a Rider or Lancer."

"None taken," she said. While Rin didn't know her Noble Phantasms or True Name, the diminutive goddess did reveal her Personal and Class Skills…

All fucking eleven of them.

Among the insane pile of skills, one of the oddest came from the Rider version of the servant. A+ Riding meant Ana had something insanely powerful to ride on. All she mentioned was she considered it to be her hardest and largely only powerful attack. Since spamming a mount on Endurance-heavy servants seemed something too suicidal for even Emiya to consider, they needed an ally with high Strength. In other words, a Berserker or Saber.

Speaking about Sabers, Emiya's father had some extremely powerful Saber as his servant that had more nobility than a hundred monarchs. In other words, he had a catalyst which they can't find in Fuyuki which meant the Einzbern family had it. The moment the Grail allows masters to summon, either she or Emiya will summon El Cid to take Saber off the table.

Ana and her goldmine of skills provided more than enough versatility and agility.

"Lastly, I…" Most of this meeting was a reiteration of what everyone already knew. It accomplished largely nothing but to ensure everyone stood on the same page. However, the following information will be new. It also hurt. A lot. Like, she'd expect the same feeling if she had to sell her mother's bones to a cannibal. "I'm selling this house."

Sakura went rigid. Ana smiled, a small and wistful thing. Emiya scratched his head.

Rin looked at the ground like a scolded child. Of everyone sitting at the table, she had the best understanding of presentation. The concept of Rin Tohsaka equated to an intelligent, rich, and independent young lady who faced a tragedy that would break most children and instead excelled. She was the school idol not because people wanted to be her, but they wanted to emulate her. Her words carried weight because her presented existence looked impressive even to cynical adults. She put countless hours if not years to cultivate that image.

She will tear that image to the ground, perhaps the first casualty of the war besides Ana's felled magi.

"We… I need the money." Her voice came out dry and scratched at her throat. A glass of water seemed wonderful. "I know every defensive ward and bounded field on this house. There's even more I've added on from the Matou branch and even some from my Tokyo ally." She looked up at her friends with a determined glare and spoke with far more belief than she actually carried. "This house is just a house. If I could buy just a dozen gems, that could mean a dozen wounds healed or enemies killed."

Sakura and Emiya stared at her with mouths agape. Ana seemed far too pleased with the situation, though Rin couldn't tell if her satisfaction stemmed from Rin's detriment or her sister's gain. Either way, a happy god was a good god.

"Don't just stare at me!" she blurted with reddened cheeks. She hoped they'd complain about her future boarding in their house or decrying how they'd lose an important strategic location or… or… something!

"Who are you doing this for?" Sakura's voice cut through the silence like a Gandr. It sounded the complete opposite of her. Calm. Direct. Calculating. When did their positions reverse?

Rin had several answers to give various levels of truth. Some she suspected to appease her sister with little difficulty. Others could leverage favors for later times. She elected the truth, despite the pain it might bring. The damned fake priest and her friend Caren showed her many times over how honesty cut deeper than the sharpest blade.

In anticipation for her reveal, her heartbeat quickened. Her mind fired off into a dozen directions, judging their reactions and the long-term implications. The back of her throat became constricted. Her eyes weren't forming tears. They… they weren't.

"I hate myself." And suddenly the weight of a thousand worries lessened, as if Simon of Cyrene came to help carry her burden. She giggled despite the levity of the situation. She continued to speak but stared blankly at the table. She couldn't bring herself to face them. "I'm supposed to be the leader, you know? If I checked the Matou's household once, I could've discovered his pit. If I researched their Magecraft fucking once, I would've realized the horrors inflicted on my sister. I never even bothered to ask her if she's doing alright. Not once!" Her hands squeezed the table until her brown became a pale white. Intellectually, she knew they'd forgive her. Emotionally, the girl convinced herself that her closest friends will hate her for eternity.

She wasn't crying. Not at all.

"It doesn't matter that it was Father who abandoned you and Mother who was too meek to stop him. I could've fixed the situation at any time. Then, I learned what happened after you brought it to my attention yourself, Sakura! I'm that pathetic, that stupid, that prideful! It didn't even take a year until I got you and Emiya killed. I…" Her voice broke. Snot and tears were cascading from her orifices. They weren't. "I saw you both die, and I was powerless to help you. I brought them on you with my idiotic plan of stealing that sword."

She deflated. She crossed her arms over her chest defensively. Her voice came out as a whisper. "I don't like this house. I can't look at a room without remembering us when we played. It's his house, not his daughter's. I want to leave. I don't deserve to live in a mansion, and the Tohsaka family doesn't deserve prestige. I'm chastising myself because you two are too kind. I… I want my family back. I want to live with my sister… and brother in law. I don't care about possessions. I want a family."

How did I'm selling the house turn into I'll pour out my very soul? Maybe the stress got to her. Perhaps being with Sakura and Emiya helped her with being… human. Magi weren't exactly social creatures, but somehow the tortured girl and the walking sword weren't that bad at the whole social thing. Perhaps-

A pair of arms wrapped around her waist. They squeezed. Somehow, that made breathing easier.

"We're family." Thus, Sakura Matou cemented a concept into reality with two words. Those words invited the mage into their household and forgave the girl for all of her perceived sins, nor did she offer any chance of retort. Sakura chose to have a sister in that moment, for better or for worse.

Emiya looked at them smiling before abruptly tilting his head in confusion. "You're sisters?" he asked, somehow sounding more happy than surprised.

Right, no one mentioned that yet. Oh well.

* * *

The goddess known as Ana focused on sweeping with all her concentration. Had it been any other circumstance, she'd give only the effort required for proficiency or altogether refrain from cleaning duties; however, she was a servant. It had nothing to do with servants being the ones to clean but everything to do with side effects. Sakura supplied her Prana with a bridge made through the highest levels of Magecraft, almost the Third Magic. The bridge also had a mental aspect designed for communication.

That made this situation more awkward than anything she felt in life.

"Ana?" Further proving how compromised she was, her Master's sister arrived at their household and saw her before the goddess even sensed her.

She did not make a sound akin to Eep! after hearing her alibi. She merely regained her bearings and picked up the broom which happened to fall on the back porch that very moment… Ana almost missed her adult or monstrous bodies. They came with fewer side-effects. Having the brain and body of a child at age twelve proved troublesome.

"Don't go inside," she intoned. Just thinking of what went on caused the slightest blush in her cheeks.

Her Master's sister set down a bag of fully charged quartz, now replaced throughout the city with empty pieces, and looked at the house. She raised her left brow and asked, "Are they fighting?"

Her Master and her… companion had a decent relationship, though any two humans had differences. Even so, they were certainly not fighting. The blush became more prominent. "Swimsuits. Warm bath. Hormones."

The magus gained a matching set of red on her cheeks. Her eyes widened before she looked in the opposite direction of their home. Clearing her throat, she asked, "And you're receiving a feedback. That's… You're trying to take your mind off it, even at the expense of a higher Prana consumption?"

"Right now, no problem."

"Oh… OH." She looked at the sky. "How's the weather?"

"Can't tell." In the throes of winter, the humans had to bundle themselves in layered clothing. For some reason, her Master insisted she wear a scarf. Ana did not complain since it seemed to make Sakura happy, though servants could wear a swimsuit in a blizzard and be fine.

"Erm, it's super cold. Maybe we could see the first snow soon?"

Ana nodded in reply. While the months of just observing someone's life proved nice, she suspected snow will provide entertaining opportunities.

Rin sat on the back porch. Ana took the spot beside her. Wind carried a different sound during the winter. Leaves didn't rustle. The dry air made it feel crisp.

Her master's sister leaned back to the point where she braced herself with her hands. "How often do you wish you could just go back and fix your mistakes, Ana? Not the meaningless ones. I mean the ones where you hurt others."

The hero forced herself to not react. As an Avenger class, her differentiation from the other combatants came from her single-minded devotion for revenge. Yin and Yang. The wronged hurt the guilty to bring the balance back. Even so, she suspected hers was a different case even without the divinity. Her desire… perhaps her wish was to avenge the three of them. For herself, she cannot kill gods which have already vanished from existence. For her sisters, she will fulfill her penance upon death. How often did this make her reminisce on what could've gone better?

She answered, "Always."

"Oh…" The girl pretending to be an adult closed her eyes.

"Fix your mistakes." Ana looked at herself, a body that reminded her of two lovely goddesses. "You still can."

She gave a small smile. "Thanks."

Ana stuck out her hand. "Gor… Medusa."

Their hands met and shook. "Rin Tohsaka."

Ana sensed a presence, familiar and dangerous. She astalized in the twinkling of an eye and whispered, "Fake priest." She stood at the ready in case she needed to cut off his head. Killing the designated overseer would cause trouble for Sakura; however, she won't let the man hurt them. He reminded her of the worst kinds of gods. While strong ones raged across the heavens and the earth, the cunning ones twisted the knife in the back.

"Rin! It is nice to see you moved into your new home well." He smiled and strolled into the courtyard. "Like the first believers in Christ, you too moved into one home with your brethren."

The girl crossed her arms and huffed. "You could've at least given a fruit basket."

He chuckled, a prolonged and deep sound. Even then, his eyes scanned his surroundings in vigilance. He knew she was near, and she knew this man of cloth had a past as a man of the sword. "I left it on the front porch, though don't fall to greed when preparing for tribulation, my child."

She kept her lips from frowning, but the twitching eyebrow revealed her frustration. She huffed, "We know you didn't come for that. What is it?"

He bowed his head like one would before announcing someone's demise. "As overseer, I have access to more information than you all. I regret to inform you that the Einzbern mansion along with Jubstacheit and most of the family's creations were destroyed. Servant Archer was summoned two hours before that." He nodded. "In light of that information, I pray you plan accordingly." Thus he walked back the way he came.

Rin voiced an opinion that Ana agreed wholeheartedly. "Well, shit."


	11. Chapter 11

I dream of fire. The burning mass devoured the buildings and people around me. I walked through the fire. Humans come from water, from the womb. Thus birth. I birthed from an inferno, a new creation separated from the water of my old self. My father smiled. The sky looked pretty. There was a scabbard.

I dream of a hill made of swords. Like a graveyard, a solemn remorse pervaded the atmosphere like rust on the tongue. Gears rotated in the sky like demented suns suspended on nothing. I look and all I see are swords from where I stand and into the distance. It felt lonely. None of the swords had a scabbard, and none had a weilder.

I dream of a lonely king and the girl who never reached that goal.

"Good morning, Senpai," Sakura yawned.

"Good morning, Sakura," Shirou replied. They put on the morning's clothes to rectify their state of undress.

* * *

Taiga Fujimura pretended to read the newspaper, not that she had anything against people who read the newspaper. Reading had a ton of benefits, and learning local news while reading wouldn't hurt besides the negative spin it took on everything. The woman, for she was a woman despite her personality better befitting an overactive schoolgirl, worked as a teacher. Perhaps _worked_ wasn't the most accurate of words. It didn't fit. Maybe _spent her time_ encompassed her vocation better, since the woman loved her job. English existed as the language of the world, and if she helped Japan's youth better connect to the other six billion people, she'd have a blast doing so.

Oh, dang it. Rabbit trails and squirrels. She needed to focus, not space out! She spent an hour last night planning out this prank!

Sakura sat next to her like an elegant lady except the beaming smile gracing her lips. While the girl voiced no protest when she switched the soy sauce with worcestershire, it had less to do with the girl's admittedly devious side and more to do with her floating in a mental landscape of pink clouds. Shirou's girlfriend lived with him under the same roof for over a year. It didn't take a rocket professor to know what happens in that kinda situation.

Maybe she'd voice her concern over them rushing things. Children only had one chance to be kids, ya know? However, the woman spent her days around teenagers. She understood them, how the tick, and how they were damned good at acting like nothing bad happened. Shirou went through some serious shit as a child. His adopted father was a good man, but he should've taken the kid to therapy. Oh well. No use crying over spilled milk. But if Shirou was broken, Sakura was shattered. She had a psychological dependency on her claimed little brother that suggested serious familial neglect… at best.

So, the kids already faced things which stole their childhood. Who was she to judge?

Shirou sat down next, looking grumpy. Very few things irked one of the most selfless and forgiving souls she ever met. Kicking him out of a kitchen probably sat at number one, and that just happened. On most other days, she'd say something to liven up the atmosphere; nevertheless, today was a prank day. The sacred ritual trumped all else.

And boy was this a good prank! Without anyone noticing besides Sakura, she replaced the soy sauce with worcestershire. Shirou will never suspect anything.

Tohsaka entered with a plate full of delicious food. Half the time, she didn't recognize the vaguely Chinese dishes she made or why she was so good at them; however, food was food. Even better, free food was free. Unlike herself, content to eat Shirou's cooking, the girls competed to reach his level. Despite appearances, she didn't think it had anything to do with their shared attraction to the boy.

The trio had determination. Rin knew some kinda Kung Fu that wasn't Kung Fu, so Shirou and Sakura learned it too. Shirou and his cooking became the trio and their cooking. Sakura proved adept at… Hers was harder to put into words. The girl knew how to be subtle, to poke someone into taking much larger actions. The teacher doubted most other women could've claimed girlfriend status with her little brother. As a result, Rin and Shirou became better at the act of subtlety… sorta. They were too headstrong to be truly subtle.

But enough with the thinking! Now, she shall reap the fruit of her labor! Flipping a page on the newspaper to remain inconspicuous, plus another story about another girl disappearing in Kumamoto was too sad for the morning, she eyed Shirou as he added worcestershire sauce to his rice. Rin ate her meal with an elegance Taiga couldn't hope to match. Sakura took her time preparing her meal.

Then, Shirou took a bite.

And swallowed.

"I like the way you made this meal, Tohsaka. You added salt?"

She grinned whole proclaiming, "Yes, simple pleasures sometimes make the bland become extraordinary, don't you think?"

"True, Rin," agreed Sakura as she too poured worcestershire sauce on her meal and ate it.

Taiga had the sinking feeling that the lion stumbled into a hyena pack. "Y-yeah," she added while pouring some of the mysterious sauce on her meal. "Simple pleasures…"

She took a bite. She spat out the worcestershire-covered breakfast.

Standing up, she shouted over the proud laughing of her opponents, "Who pranked me?"

"I have no idea," Rin spoke while she poured the same sup over her meal before eating it without qualms. "This is clearly soy sauce, after all, and we all took our meals from the same bowls."

Taiga sat down with a huff and crossed her arms. "Pranking people is mean. You should end those habits now before you carry them into adulthood." This time, Taiga took more food and ate it without any sauce. For the rest of the meal, she couldn't figure out how she ate the wrong sauce while the others had the right one. Soy simply became worcestershire when she poured it.

As if by magic.

And how she suspected the three teenagers were some kinda secret wizzards? Well, it beat not knowing any wizzards.

She finished her meal with a smile.

* * *

The Holy Grail acted much like a Blood Worm. It ate the Prana from Fuyuki's leylines over decades, accumulating more Prana into itself than most magi would in their lifetimes. While Tohsaka was much better with the mechanics than he was, it used that energy like a hammer. Since modern magi lacked the finesse to efficiently acquire Heroic Spirits efficiently, they devised this system to smash to their goals. Perhaps it was like kicking a door down rather than picking the lock?

He felt glad his specialty was swords. It made things simpler.

Nevertheless, he wondered what it'd feel like when the Grail had enough energy to start the war. Would he sense anything different? Maybe the overseer would send out a message to the waiting five. Would the Command Spells glow for a minute?

As it turned out, he just knew. One moment, he finished the halfway point on his math test. The next, he knew he could draw a summoning circle on the floor and create a bridge to the Throne of Heroes.

Shirou took a moment to sigh before raising his hand. Of all the times, it had to be now. Truly, being a magus proved inconvenient. "Yes, Emiya?" asked his teacher.

"I just remembered I have to meet a guest at the airport." Was it a good thing to lie? No, but telling them the truth would probably cause the death of everyone in this room. The four of them agreed to using excuses in case anyone saw them with their servants. Sakura will have a cousin visiting. He will have either one of his dad's old co-workers or the child of one visiting. Rin will have either a friend from the church or a friend of her father visiting, depending on his or her temperament.

"Now?"

He nodded and bowed. "I apologize for my negligence. I accept whatever you decide for missing this test."

His teacher shrugged. "You're excused."

"Thank you."

He brought the half-finished test to his teacher, gathered his supplies, and left the classroom. Having a stellar reputation helped with leaving, so he and Tohsaka banked on it in case this scenario happened. Any second wasted might mean another master could summon their own servant. While a little unfair, they'd be immensely helped if they, for example, summon a saber when another master had a catalyst for a powerful saber of their own.

After exiting the school, he met with Tohsaka a few blocks away in an alley she warded three weeks ago. Nobody set foot in the alley due to a strong sense of wary. She tapped her foot impatiently and looked unhappy. The crossed arms and glare didn't help, but he couldn't blame her. Like Sakura, he had a good idea of how she felt despite the outward mask she presented. She felt worried, so she hid it with irritation.

"Emiya," she greeted.

"Trace, on," he replied, for there wasn't anything else to say. His circuits sprung to life and his Od plummeted by a good quarter. In most circumstances, using Magecraft for anything before summoning was stupid. It could mean the difference between a powerful or weak ally; however, they decided Tohsaka paired with either Saber or Rider El Cid was well worth his small sacrifice, especially since the sword would nudge a Saber as the most likely outcome. She also left a large bag of full gems at their house, so he had enough to summon a servant without tapping into his Od.

"Thanks." She took Tizona from his hands, and he suddenly suppressed the need to flee. As one of its powers, it made the weaker flee the more powerful. Suffice to stay, his instructor outclassed him. After putting the sword in an unremarkable case they also placed in the alley three weeks ago, she imparted her final words. "Be safe."

"You too." He smiled. They both spoke just two words, but they didn't need to say much else. The Fourth Grail War killed her father and crippeled her mother. His adopted father died from it eventually. Sakura's uncle, a kind man he wished he could've met, died too. Only a Lord in the Clock Tower and the current Overseer still live. From a realistic standpoint, they'd be blessed if just one of them survived, thus they decided to make an unrealistic goal their reality.

They parted in opposite directions. Summoning servants together begged for misunderstandings. No introductions before explanations. Ana freely admitted she would've cut him and Tohsaka down if they had servants when she was summoned. He felt glad that Sakura had such a loyal friend.

Tohsaka would summon in Ryuudou temple. It lied on a leyline and had wards preventing any spirits from entering besides the front gate. He will summon in his house. From a magi's perspective, the Emiya residence was Shirou Emiya's territory. Of all the places to summon, he'd be most efficient there, so he jogged as fast as he could without arousing suspicion.

Then, it hit him.

Shirou stumbled and had to stop walking altogether to keep himself from falling on his face. The undeniable and overwhelming saturation of Mana in the atmosphere punched him in the gut. More energy raged past him in a second than he generated in a day. His hands clenched his shaking knees in a feeble attempt to not run away or fall. The boy felt terror. Pure terror. Not for his own life, for such a concept couldn't click in his mind. He felt terror for Sakura knowing how she'll take his almost certain death and face this magus.

Even with his body falling to the fleshly instincts of response to an unknown threat, his mind stayed true to a swordsman's focus. The Mana felt too human to be a servant, and he knew of no other reason for a magus to enter Fuyuki other than the Grail War. Regardless, not even Tohsaka could compete with the onslaught he faced.

Suddenly, it stopped. He took a sharp gasp and blinked. A soft pitter patter of feet skipped towards him from behind. Dread choked him. What he felt wasn't a show of force. It acted like fake fog before someone entered a stage. The magus wasted Prana for simple theatrics. In other words, they either presented the most idiotic bluff imaginable and bled themselves dry, or he was about to face someone with more Prana stored than Tohsaka could imagine… or they simply were made of magic circuits.

In other words, a homunculus and the murderous Einzbern Master.

Shirou opened his own circuits in preparation and turned around. He may die before ever summoning his servant to save Sakura, but perhaps he could injure this Master or cause enough chaos to warn his family.

With a face of determination, his eyes met the piercing red orbs of a young homunculus. The creation stopped skipping a few meters from him. She had the complexion of an albino and not the faintest hint of womanhood. A worn white skirt and hiking boots graced her legs, and a new purple coat wrapped her tiny figure. He wondered why the Einzberns constructed a child when all their other homunculi were adults.

The homunculus girl curtsied in a fashion that screamed aristocrat, though her eyes never once left his. Her arms moved a little too fluidly. Her eyes seemed just too aware. Her legs seemed slightly too muscled for someone so young. She summoned Archer two months early. He felt certain they spent that time training her.

Before she could say anything, he spoke in a desperate attempt for diplomacy before combat, "I am Shirou Emiya, apprentice under the Tohsaka heir and Second Owner of Fuyuki. I was on my way home to summon a servant. In accordance with the rules, could you wait for combat until afterwards?" He tilted his head to the left. "I have refreshments at home while you wait including tea. The other servant won't be home."

The albino stared at him for several agonizing seconds, not even blinking. She gave no indication on what she felt nor how she'd respond. Shirou simply waited, ready to create the sword best fit for this situation. Then, the girl moved her hand over her mouth and giggled. Shaking her head, she responded, "Silly Shirou." She clasped her hands behind her back and rocked on the balls of her feet, a fitting position for an amused child rather than a dangerous magus. Her voice had a playful, melodic tone. He could imagine her describing a fun day at school. "I am Illyasviel von Einzbern, and I am here to ensure you summon a servant without a catalyst."

What?

"Your face!" She pointed and laughed as if his face acted as the world's best punchline. He suspected it did look rather astonished. His mouth closed, only now realizing it hung open. The homunculus, apparently named Illyasviel, skipped next to him and offered her dainty hand. His survival instincts screamed at him to take it, so he did. She felt cold and soft. "We're gonna have a long talk about Kiritsugu Emiya, then you're gonna summon a servant. After that, I'll decide if I should kill you, big brother!"

* * *

_For the elements Silver and Iron_

Ah, that feeling, again.

_For the foundation, stone and the Archduke of Contracts_

He felt the same tug, but it came from a different direction. This wasn't the Counter Force.

_For the ancestor, my great master, Schweinorg_

He had trace impressions of this. It happened before, something outside of the bloody monotony of his personal hell.

_Close the gates of the cardinal directions_

He felt like he should remember more. Somewhere in the eons of his existence, someone tugged on him in the same way.

_Come forth from the Crown and follow the forked road leading to the Kingdom_

In all honesty, he hardly cared. Not much else could be worse, so why not take the risk?

_Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill_

Even more, he felt like something in him wanted this. An opportunity of freedom.

_Repeat five times_

Freedom from his captivity. An idealistic fool took up a sword only to find the grip poisoned.

_But when each is filled, destroy it_

He had destroyed. So many times. So many people. He wanted it to stop.

_Set_

Whatever force acted upon him, he embraced it.

_Heed my words_

He heeded the words, those achingly familiar words from a voice that tickled his memory.

_My will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny_

A body. A sword. For him, they were the same.

_If you heed the Grail's call and obey my will and reason, then answer me_

The Grail. Knowledge poured into his head and overlaid itself on the same knowledge. The Grail War. So he had been summoned before, if only he could remember those times.

_I hereby swear that I shall be all the good in the world_

He had once thought the same, but little came from good intentions.

_That I shall defeat all the evil in the world_

An impossible dream.

_You seven heavens, clad in the three great words of power_

A bridge appeared. He crossed it.

_Come forth from the circle of binding, Guardian of the Scales!_

He felt like this was something new yet the same. The building seemed familiar, like a landmark he once used; however, he didn't think this temple held much significance. His summoner, one the other hand, couldn't be more different. The red sweater. The black stockings. Her pigtails. That determined stare. Her voice. He knew her. In his life, this girl meant something to him. His teacher perhaps? A fellow fool trodding down the same ill-fated path as he? He was fairly confident this wasn't his daughter. He's pretty sure he would've remembered having a family, so this person lived when Shirou Emiya lived. That meant he could kill him.

Ah, that was why he welcomed the summoning, his desperate attempt at ceasing his existence… freedom from the Counter Force.

She blinked. He stood in the circle without moving. Her arms were outstretched from the summoning ritual. He had his arms crossed. Her chest expanded and contracted, so he concluded she didn't die. Maybe she didn't think the ritual would work? An amateur magus… maybe, though he sensed the Bounded Field around them. High quality. People won't come within a hundred meters of them. She could just be waiting for him to act.

"You aren't El Cid." She finally lowered her arms. He chose not to comment on that. She simply summoned the wrong servant which made him a mistake. Fitting. Very fitting. "You're a Caster."

"I am." He felt vaguely annoyed at the Caster class, though he didn't know why. Magi tended to be assholes. That could be it.

She kicked a sword away from the summoning circle, not out of anger but more to just clear the space. How she acquired Tizona, he didn't… That wasn't Tizona. She kicked a Projection of Tizona, something only one person alive could do. In other words, this girl knew Shirou Emiya enough for him to make her a catalyst. It also meant his personality matched hers more than El Cid.

"In any case, Caster is a good class, especially with my supply of Prana." She dusted off her skirt and straightened her posture. "In that case, we should set our relationship now as master and servant."

"I agree." A team could not function with infighting as much as it could not function with such a mismatched pair as they. He won't be able to kill himself if she dies first.

"I am in an alliance with two other masters, both of which are my apprentices. We share the same wish. If we defeat the others with more than one servant standing, then you will fight away from civilians. You will NOT harm either of those masters because I WILL make you fucking suffer if you do, understand?"

Interesting. That explained the projected sword. Shirou Emiya almost certainly studied under… this girl. That explained why she seemed familiar. On the other hand, he didn't feel the slightest hate towards her, so he'd rather have her survive this. Her desire for him not to kill himself will prove to be an obstacle, but he'll get to that later.

"No killing your apprentices. Got it." He smirked. "But on the other hand, you'll have to accept anything else I do. I will decide battle policy. I trust you have no objections."

A magus' pride always was a weakness. People act according to their masks when all is fine, but they show their true colors under duress. A servant mastering the master? While he had no hope of her bending to his will, she will show him who his mysterious master truly is.

"Okay."

Or, she'll say that. He forced himself not to gape. A humble magus. What was the world coming to?

"I'm no strategist." She grabbed her left arm with her right hand. Her gaze lowered to his feet. Like a dog showing its belly, she submitted to him. Trusted him. She swallowed. "I… I summoned you without catalyst, so that means we're alike. You've lost something, someone. I lost my best friend once. Emiya died protecting me." What? "I lost Sakura twice. First as a sister, then she died too." He knew that name. Purple hair and a melancholy smile. But, he's dead already?! Then how did this girl use Tizona? "I fucked up and they died until Avenger saved them." What?! "If you can end this war with Emiya and Sakura alive, then that's all I want from you, Caster."

None of that sounded familiar.

She wiped a tear from her cheek and met his gaze with one he found terrifyingly familiar. He used to see that hollowness, that determination in the mirror. "I ask only one more thing in return."

"Go ahead."

"What happened to you, Emiya?" She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his torso. Her voice didn't wimper, but tears trickled from her eyes. "Why are you so sad?"

Rin.

* * *

EMIYA

Class: Caster

Parameters:  
Strength: E  
Endurance: D  
Agility: D  
Mana: A+  
Luck: E  
Noble Phantasm: ?

Class Skills:

Territory Creation: EX (D)

EMIYA never had a workshop in life, so it translated to a D-rank ability as a servant. On the other hand, a Reality Marble is markedly easier to form with this ability.

Item Construction: EX (A+)

EMIYA never created his tools. Instead, he faked them. With enough Prana, he could potentially Project any weapon. Projections are easier to create and last longer.

Independent Action: D  
A lifetime of fighting alone has given EMIYA limited independence despite his class.

Personal Skills:  
Clairvoyance: C

Achieved through Reinforcing his eyes, EMIYA can perceive any moving object with perfect accuracy within four kilometers.

Eye of the Mind (True): B

Lifetimes of combat caused EMIYA to calmly perceive the battlefield to find the best course of action.

Magecraft: C+

While only capable of a few basic forms of Magecraft, EMIYA can flawlessly copy weapons and fake the skills necessary to wield them, including those of Heroic Spirits. In addition, he can Reinforce his body up a rank in Strength, Endurance, and Agility.

Noble Phantasm: ?

* * *

Author's Notes:

Since the Grail War has essentially begun, I'll put a quick timeline of important points in the plot. In what amounted to about 50,000 words, I could've stretched it to 200,000 without much trouble. I didn't want to do that. While I expect this story to pass 200,000 without much trouble, I intend for that to be during the war. Anyway, here we go:

1\. Sakura meets Shirou later which causes Shinji to overreact.

2\. Shinji dies on a staircase and gets fed to Worms.

3\. Sakura receives Command Spells early.

4\. Sakura lives with Shirou. Zouken leaves without forewarning. He hasn't been seen since.

5\. Rin learns what happened to Sakura and is guilted into helping.

6\. Shirou and Sakura stumble their way through Magecraft until Rin takes over (and incorporates Matou Magecraft).

7\. Shirou sees interesting swords, including one Rin decides on stealing.

8\. The trio steal a really powerful sword.

9\. Rin sees still Asian weapons while giving the sword to the Clock Tower before getting into a fight with a distant cousin.

10\. While going on a European tour of finding Shirou swords, the eldest daughter from the Sajyou family ambushes them as revenge over the stolen sword and her arrested father.

11\. Shirou dies. Sakura gets critically injured. Gorgon Lily is summoned and promptly fixes everything.

12\. Gilgamesh isn't bored for about two seconds.

13\. Rin befriends Caren.

14\. Rin befriends the younger Sajyou daughter (the protagonist from Fate Prototype). She also learns a great deal about Sajyou Magecraft.

15\. Nobody messes with the trio because Gorgon is a goddess.

16\. The trio prepare. All become combat proficient. Rin charges an absurd amount of gem-like constructs using a mosh-posh of different Magecraft branches.

17\. Illya summons Archer on the day she would've summoned Berserker.

18\. Archer annihilates the Einzbern family.

19\. The first contact between opposing sides in the Fifth Holy Grail War occurs when Illya meets her adopted brother the day servants could be summoned (the normal way).

20\. Rin summons Caster EMIYA.

Hopefully that was helpful.

This chapter had basically no Sakura, though Illya was always a character connected more closely to Shirou than anyone else. Speaking of everyone's favorite tiny albino, she didn't summon EMIYA, though I think it was possible with her body as a catalyst, the daughter of his adopted father. Instead, Rin summoned EMIYA as a Caster who's somewhat terrifying as a fighter.

One thing I liked about Fate/Stay Night was Shirou's odds at the beginning. He had a weakened servant and an ally with a servant who wanted nothing more than him dead. On the other hand, all of his opponents were powerful in their own way. In case anyone was wondering, the trio will probably be wishing for those odds before the conclusion of this war.

Stay healthy during this coronavirus epidemic. My job is considered necessary, so I'm even more busy than normal. Thank you, Shoytahn, for pointing out those o's. Yeah, those were placeholders that I forgot to fill-in. Thanks for pointing that out.

And thank you everyone for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. Reviews are a blast to read, especially with so many. Thanks!


	12. Chapter 12

Sakura stared at the church. She never entered one before, except her days as a child. Only faint impressions lasted in that building, and those consisted of boredom. The Matou weren't religious unless one considered the worship of oneself a religion, for her brother and grandfather were selfish and proud people. She couldn't see them bow to anyone, let alone a deity.

Even so, she pushed open the doors and entered. Her footsteps echoed on the wooden floors as if she was the heartbeat to the building. Empty pews rested to her left and right. The altar stood without a priest.

"Excuse me?" she called out in a whispering shout. It felt wrong to raise her voice any louder.

A door opened to the back and left out of which stepped a man she'd rarely seen but heard of often. To be more precise, Rin complained about him constantly despite never giving concrete proof for why she deemed him so horrible.

Sakura decided she rather liked this priest.

"Welcome, child, to the Lord's house," he greeted. "I will help you in whatever way you need, though I assume you chose business over your soul." Something about his voice sounded hollow, like he emulated emotion without experiencing it. She felt bad for him and wondered what caused him to sound so empty. Did he never have a friend to help him like Senpai did for her?

She steeled her voice and spoke, "I came to register for the Grail War." Sliding off her glove, she showed the glowing sigils of a master. "My friend is Avenger."

"Friend?" he queried. He tilted his head to the side in questioning, encouraging her to continue.

"Humans aren't meant to lord over their brethren."

"Then what do you and your friend desire?" His eyes didn't stay on her. They strayed slightly to her left where Ana stood invisible. This priest had Assassin in the last war. Did that make him used to seeing those who concealed themselves?

"Freedom from a man lording over my flesh." She gestured at her chest. "A Crest Worm engulfed my heart. I want it out. If Zouken receives the Grail, then I become free. Is it selfish? I believe so, but I find it a worthwhile dream."

The priest's eye twitched, a real emotion. If she read him correctly, one of hate… No, disgust towards her grandfather. She didn't blame him. "Ridding the world of evil, no matter how small, is never a selfish dream." He spread his arms, "I'll pray for the Lord to watch over you in pursuit of your noble goal!"

Sakura nodded. "Thank you." The girl turned and left the building. Ana sensed a local summon minutes ago, now supported by the Grail instead of just her Prana. Until they sensed the second one, there was no point in returning home. The four of them feared a newly summoned servant who'd rush to protect their master. Until then, she'll wait at a park. Either Senpai or Rin will meet her there as they wait for the other to finish. She'd bet it was Rin trying to make her summon perfect.

"I don't trust him." Ana spoke in her astral form. Her voice remained as stoic as always.

"He survived a Grail War." She giggled. "It'd be silly to be so naive."

* * *

People often dreamt of peering into the future. Would one see great riches, a spouse, or simple happiness? Seeing such things would comfort a soul through life, the assurance of eventual success.

Here, Rin saw into her best friend's future.

First, he lived… survived the Grail War. The man before her, still trapped within her hug, was at least a decade past her apprentice. He also proved how Sakura chose a hotty. That tanned body. His chiseled arms. Those abs…

On the other hand, she could almost guarantee he outlived Sakura and probably her by extension. If her friend was broken into shards, this man got grounded into dust. Curt. Cynical. His first request as a servant put her in a place of protection suggesting her value and the danger she'd be in. If she lived through the Grail War, why insist she hide through its duration?

Lastly, his eyes.

Her friend had reasons to live. Rin felt certain that wasn't always the case besides his saneless drive to save others, but Sakura established herself as his anchor to the living. Because his girlfriend placed value on him, he had to value himself. By extension, he valued how she valued him, though she doubted he knew of the extent of her affections. She was also fine with that, a lifelong friend over a momentary lover.

Heroic Spirit Emiya had empty eyes. He didn't live. He just existed… A sword and nothing more.

Therefore, she hugged him despite her chaotic feelings towards her sister's boyfriend and her culture's stigma against such blatant displays of affection.

Emiya really needed a hug.

"Rin." His words came out more as a reminiscence than an address to her, like she would to her mother if the woman appeared before her. Moreover, he used her given name, a title the polite boy never used.

Rin squeezed tighter. "You're not alone anymore," she whispered.

"We have to talk." He pushed her away but took a knee… Keeping distance between the two of them yet lowering to her level. "Who summoned what classes?"

The girl put her hands on her hips and glared at her servant. "We're here to talk about you. The War can wait."

A faint smile met his lips. "Stubborn as always," he mumbled under his breath. Shaking his head, he continued, "This does have a lot to do with me. Trust me, please."

Without a beat, she listed, "Sakura summoned Avenger last summer. The Einzbern Master summoned Archer a few days before New Year's." She felt a wave through her left hand, a tingling sensation. "And someone just summoned someone, probably Emiya. After registering, we're meeting back at our house?"

"Our?" One of his eyebrows raised, a different sign than her Emiya. He would've tilted his head to the side. Habits rarely die. He also wanted to know about what servants entered existence, something her Emiya would've known.

Holy shit.

"You… You aren't from here."

Her servant smiled; however, she didn't miss the sadness behind that expression. "You always were the smart one."

Rin half sat, half collapsed onto the cold winter ground. While the Throne of Heroes contained all the heroes from all possible timelines, the possibility of a cross-dimensional summon was… She didn't know of that ever happening before. She even called upon him with the wrong catalyst. "Could you just explain things to me?"

He projected a wooden chair and sat in it. "Sure."

Asshole.

* * *

"I was just gonna kill you, ya know?" She tugged on his hand and pulled him in a random direction. The Einzbern mansion set outside the city and his house lied in different routes than the one she took. Where did she plan to go? With a glance in the distance, he figured she had the beach in mind.

"Talking is better," he mused. "Plus, you are in the position of power. You get to talk and still have the option to kill me, though you might want to hurry. Sakura has Ana, and I'm pretty sure we felt Tohsaka out of those recent two."

The girl grinned in a way far too reminiscent of Taiga, specifically just before she teased him about relationships. "Ooooh," she drew out. "First name basis? Does my brother have a lover?"

"Yeah." He couldn't sense Archer. He wondered if the spirit stood farther away, had Presence Concealment, or didn't register to him until he summoned his servant. "She'll be sad if I die, so I'll try not to. Sorry."

She giggled. "You're weird."

"She'd agree." The two of them walked down a sidewalk. People paid little heed to them besides the novelty of an albino. He saw two more albinos sitting in a car about fifty meters away and figured that was his destination.

"So, what did Father do after he abandoned me?" Her voice sounded cheery, but she laced her pleasant tone with venom.

"Would you like it short or long?" Asking that question also let him know how long she planned to talk with him.

"Long. We have time." He reinforced his eyes and confirmed the albinos looked like Einzbern homunculi. Either Illyasviel forcibly recruited them, or they mutanied with her. He hoped for the latter.

"My first memory of him is my first memory." With his free hand, he pointed to his head. "Amnesia. At the end of the Fourth Grail War, something went horribly wrong. Several blocks were leveled and cursed. It's now a park, but there were only two survivors from ground zero."

Burning.

"Our father saved me from the fire. He looked joyful, even while crying. Afterwards, he adopted me. For the next few years, we fell into a cycle. He'd stay at home for a few months doing nothing much. I learned how to cook since his idea of cooking involved microwaves and packages. Then, he'd disappear for a few more months. All the while, he… degraded. I think he won the War or at least made it to the end because he also had the full curse, crippling him physically and magically. It ended up killing him."

He stopped walking which forced his step-sister to do the same. The homunculi in the car narrowed their eyes but didn't take further action. He focused on her, and she returned his gaze. "He never mentioned a lover or a daughter."

The girl stared unblinking before shrugging. "He took Mommy with him to war. She was the Lesser Grail. So am I actually. I loved him, a lot. I thought he loved me too, but he never even bothered to write."

Something trickled onto his fingers, the same hand that held the girl's hand. Glancing down, he saw a small stream of red leaking from under her purple coat. On closer inspection, he saw a growing blotch on her sleeve.

Without hesitating, he picked the girl and placed her on his shoulders. Even with his ever-increasing muscle mass, he noticed her light frame. She squeaked. "You're injured," he stated. "It'll be easier if you tell me where to go."

Shirou felt her shift and heard the rustle of her sleeve being pulled back. "Oh, didn't notice," she said passingly. "I collected a birthright from the Mage Association, among other things."

She didn't elaborate, so he didn't press her on that story. His sister also spoke too lucedly to be on painkillers. He connected a few dots. "The Einzbern family hurt you a lot."

She chuckled, and Shirou flinched. That sound felt far too dark for a little girl. "I've been cut apart and reassembled several times. Pain isn't an obstacle for me, just an annoyance."

He exhaled, though kept his shoulders square for Illyasviel's sake. "I failed you too."

"You did." She patted his head like a dog. "Go to that car." He obliged and walked to his sister's compatriots. "I'm eighteen."

"You are?"

"Yeah, but it was more convenient for them to keep me eight. My brain's eight. My experiences are much older."

The homunculi, both female and young adults, exited the car. One opened the right passenger door. The other took his sister off his shoulders after he kneeled. The girl took one seat and patted the one next to her. He did.

The doors closed behind him.

* * *

Ana understood predators and prey. She experienced the spectrum's extremes in her life until it became an intrinsic part of her subconscious. People conformed to the idea of predator. No beast of the air, earth, or sea overcame man. Given enough time, the human wins.

All the men she killed believed themselves to be the predator when, in fact, they were nothing but prey.

After the first several dozen, she noticed an interesting trend. While man talked and acted with gusto, his muscles tensed and his body perspired more. Before they even saw her, her prey subconsciously prepared for fight or flight. She concluded that no matter the self-deluded pride, the subconscious understood humany wasn't entitled to supremacy.

How ironic that what she learned slaughtering hundreds… or three hundred and forty since she refused to forget any of them… may prove to save one. Her master. Her friend. Her sister in all but blood and deity.

Sakura sat on a park bench overlooking a playground. Three children played. Two boys chased each other on the slides. A girl swung on the swings. Two parents and the girl's older brother stood on the opposing side of the park.

No enemies. Yet, Sakura's brow had the glistening of sweat. Her puffs of breath increased by a miniscule rate. Her left leg bobbled.

One might claim she simply sat in anticipation of either Tohsaka or Emiya, and that claim would prove the most logical. Sakura was fifteen and waiting for friends before they embarked on a secret war that will probably kill them all. Of course she might feel apprehensive. On the other hand, Sakura started taking these actions a minute ago. When Assassin could still be a summoned class, Ana saw little reason to not be overprotective.

"Are you okay?" she asked, unheard and invisible to all but her master.

"Hmm?" The girl shifted on the bench and spoke under her breath. "I'm fine. Just wondering who Senpai summoned."

Emiya? Ana felt confident that the boy wouldn't summon a Greek servant simply for the fact that few Greeks were famous swordsmen and even fewer could be considered as idealistic or innocent as her master's consort. She'd expect him to summon a good-natured Saber due to his Element and Origen.

But that was besides the point. Sakura could be in danger, so everything else fell by the wayside.

Ana flinched. Even as the broken god she was, her hearing far surpassed those of humans. That meant the faint chirping emanated kilometers farther than the best human ear could hear. Sakura didn't hear that sound, but she acted tense regardless. Then, there was the other matter.

Bugs weren't out in Winter.

While never meeting the man in person, Ana experienced him over a period of months during their dream cycle. She concluded many things about the man, including several she voiced to no one. He could have been a Dead Apostle considering the vampiric relationship he had with Sakura. At the very least, he showed signs of a magus who far surpassed the natural lifespan of a mortal despite his degrading soul.

He also sounded like insects.

None of them dared hope that Zouken would stand by during a Grail War. The man enjoyed the suffering of others even with a detriment towards himself. Had he simply raised Sakura like a magus, her Element and simply ludicrous potential would make her the premier threat of the war. Instead, he tortured her for little benefit. Harvesting local prostitutes would've been much more efficient.

This development gave Ana two options. She could tell Sakura and let her make the decision or visit the man herself. The former kept Sakura safer. The latter kept her saner. Beyond any doubt, she knew the latter had higher priority. No matter how much a mind could delude itself or forget things, dreams didn't. She knew the monster hiding under Sakura's skin.

"Investigating. One minute," she spoke. Without waiting for a reply, she dashed to the chirping bugs. Clearing blocks in seconds, she brought herself to a familiar sight. The last time they set foot in the Matou mansion was when Tohsaka canceled every Bounded Field or ward in the house, essentially making it unremarkable from a magus' standpoint. She called it a "Fuck you" welcome home present for when the worm returned. He did, probably today.

She materialized at the back door. For a servant, they were safer in a physical form besides Assassins, and her D-rank Presence Concealment only worked on non-magi. Despite urges to smash down the door, the walls and the house's foundation, she knocked. Zouken could kill Sakura with an afterthought, so appeasing him trumped viciously torturing him.

After all, she had a wish for the Grail no matter what she told the others.

Footsteps approached, a single pair. They moved at a fast tempo which rang alarm bells. Zouken used a cane and walked slowly. Ana materialized her scythe, Harpe. Emiya called it a sword, but Ana refused to call such a scythe-shaped weapon a sword on principle.

The door opened.

Ana blinked.

"You died," she stated. Her words existed as a finality. The breathing being before her died, yet there he stood alive and well.

He smirked and waived off her comment. "Just because I was killed doesn't mean I'm dead." His eyes focused just below her chin at an area that made her more than uncomfortable. Even the men who tried to kill her often lusted after her body; however, that body was that of an adult. The one she possessed now might not even be thirteen.

A red marking on his hand caught her eye. "You're a master."

He nodded. "After tonight, yup."

The girl astralized Harpe. There was a time and place for everything. They could fight later. "Once you enter the war, is it okay if we kill you some more?"

He shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, feel free." He matched Sakura's memories perfectly. Something was blatantly wrong, more so than normal for magi, and both of them knew it. However, he showed no intention of telling her.

Without a word, Ana astralized and retraced her steps back to her master. In the end, the entire journey and conversation took three minutes. Sakura smiled when she arrived.

"What did you find?" her friend asked.

Without hesitation, she replied, "Shinji returned from Europe." Lies hurt far less than the truth.

_Forgive me, Sakura._

* * *

As they stepped out of the car, Shirou wondered, "Would my approaching death influence my summoning?"

"Nope." His sister shook her head. "It uses artifacts and personality. That's it." He felt confident about the information already, but he assumed the last living Einzbern would qualify as the premier expert on all things Holy Grail.

He glanced at her mansion and her territory. "Would you mind if I visit this place after the War? With a little repair, it'll be really nice."

His father used it as a base during the last war, so it came under attack. Even from close to the edge of the treeline, he could see the occasional broken window or overgrown vine. On the other hand, the lawn was mowed and the front door, hanging ajar, was clear of any debris. Since Illyasviel must've arrived recently, it suggested a notable amount of homunculi besides the two accompanying him and his sister.

In other words, his sister had an army and a Heroic Spirit to kill him if she so chose. Oh well.

She smiled. "You'll have to visit soon. I'll be dead in a year or two." Her right arm gestured to her body. The left one kept on bleeding. "I'm sorta falling apart."

A person in need of saving. Of all the people in the world, Shirou thought their father would've saved his daughter, especially after losing his wife. He didn't. What does it mean to be a hero yet not save the ones you held dearest? Did their father sacrifice his daughter so he could save and raise a random boy?

Were all heroes so cold?

They stopped at what could only be described as a summoning circle. The amount of detail and care given made it appear more like art than Magecraft. By his feet sat a vial labeled "For Filling" with some sort of alchemical concoction inside. Over the circle, the words "For Big Brother!" were inscribed in blood. Considering the ritual, it wouldn't be human.

He patted his sister on the head. "Thank you, Illyasviel."

The girl beamed in pride. "You're welcome, and call me Illya. It sounds more like a little sister name!"

"Okay, Illya."

With those words, she skipped away from him. Despite just meeting her and her somewhat warped personality, he decided his father was a poor one. While he doubted the broken man could've saved her, that didn't give him reason to give up on his child. At the very least, he should've told Shirou.

He took one last peek at the mansion. While he couldn't see any other homunculi, he could almost feel them. They waited, either to let him go or to kill him. He'd prefer the former, personally.

_Taking a deep breathe, he spoke, "For the elements Silver and Iron"_

Rin made him memorize the words which turned out to be very wise. Asking Illya for help might've embarrassed his teacher.

_"For the foundation, stone and the Archduke of Contracts"_

It was too bad he had no idea what most of the words meant. Most Magecraft followed some form of logic, though this seemed complicated.

_"For the ancestor, my great master, Rin Tohsaka"_

He put forward his father as the name to use, but Tohsaka insisted on her own.

_"Close the gates of the cardinal directions"_

He cleared his mind and opened his circuits. After Projecting Tizona for Tohsaka, he drained a good fifth of his reserves. He could either pour all his Od into the ritual or save some in case they had to fight their way out.

_"Come forth from the Crown and follow the forked road leading to the Kingdom"_

Using all his Prana would be best. He picked up the alchemy solution and poured it into the circle. It glowed.

_"Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill"_

Of all the heroes, who was he most like? He wondered that thought many times.

_"Repeat five times"_

All he hoped for was an ally, one who'd help him save Sakura.

_"But when each is filled, destroy it"_

Perhaps that was the wrong outlook. Such a view degraded the hero to that of a tool. People weren't tools.

_"Set"_

His father viewed all lives as priceless, all equally worthy of being saved. Did that degrade everyone into quantities and numbers?

_"Heed my words"_

After setting out to be a Hero of Justice, every passing day made him more confused by what that meant. Illya, after all, was abandoned by one such hero. Where was her justice?

_"My will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny"_

He didn't know his destination, to reach that ideal… to become a Hero of Justice.

_"If you heed the Grail's call and obey my will and reason, then answer me"_

But he'll save as many people as he could along that journey.

_"I hereby swear that I shall be all the good in the world"_

Maybe that's what being a hero means… For all of a hero's life, they simply pursue their ideal.

_"That I shall defeat all the evil in the world"_

A true hero would save both Illya and Sakura.

_"You seven heavens, clad in the three great words of power"_

So will he.

_"Come forth from the circle of binding, Guardian of the Scales!"_

Collapsing to his knees, he gasped, completely drained. One moment, he stood in front of a circle. The next, a knight stood in front of him. He looked up but blinked at the sun which lied behind the knight's head, blinding him from a clear view.

For some reason, he could hear Illya laughing uncontrollably.

A young voice asked, "Master, are you alright?" An armored hand reached down for him to grasp. He accepted the offer without hesitation, so the knight pulled him to his feet. Without the blinding sun, he could see the servant. What he saw surprised him.

She, for the child was female, wore both armor and a white dress. She tied her hay-colored hair back with a black ribbon of all things. Hey lips curved upwards into a smile, but her emerald eyes showed concern over his well-being. The knight looked beautiful in the same way he'd call a water lily beautiful.

"I am. Thank you for asking, Lady Knight." Her sword hung on her hip, but he couldn't see the pommel. He had no way of knowing what it was and thus who he spoke to. He hoped that he called her by the right title.

She laughed. "Just Saber is fine." Looking behind him, she waived to Illya. "And hello to you, other Master! Are we opponents? If not, do you need any help with that arm? You're bleeding!"

He saw her sword's hilt and with it all the weapon's history. He locked his knees to keep himself from falling again. From the moment she grasped the sword and pulled, the information of her life flooded into his head.

The Golden Sword of the Victorious. The Sword of Selection. The Sword in the Stone.

Caliburn.

He stood in the presence of King Arthur. No… That wasn't right. He stood in the presence of the girl who would become the tragic king, still innocent of her future's bloodbath.

The Princess of Knights. The Future King. A simple farm girl who accepted an inhuman role because she loved humanity.

An idealistic soul who strove to become a hero.

"You summoned the weakest version of the strongest servant, big brother!" Illya giggled out. She shook her head but kept her distance. "I'm fine, Saber. We're enemies, but I'll wait until the war officially starts. Good luck!"

With that, she skipped in the direction of her mansion's front door.

Saber scratched her head and faced her summoner. "Could you explain what happened, Master? I'm confused."

Shirou shrugged. "It'll take some explaining, but we're quite a ways from home. We'll have time. Oh, and call me Shirou, please."

She nodded. "Alright!"

* * *

Artoria Pendragon (Lily)

Class: Saber

Parameters:  
Strength: C  
Endurance: C  
Agility: B  
Mana: A  
Luck: A+  
Noble Phantasm: B (A+)

Class Skills:

Magic Resistance: B

She resists all Magecraft ranked B and below.

Riding: C

She can ride any vehicle or animal without flaw, if they receive the proper adjustments or training beforehand.

Personal Skills:  
Blossoming Journey: EX

Her heart is filled with hope which raises the spirits of all her allies.

Instinct: B

Her training honed her into a master swordswoman, but her lack of combat experience lowers her Instinct compared to her older counterparts. While not able to predict the future of a fight, she can use it to find others in need of help.

Mana Burst: A

Using her Dragon Core, Artoria can create bursts of Mana for both increasing her speed and her power.

Noble Phantasm: B (A+)

While technically able to produce a beam ranking as A+, the sword cannot withstand anything above a B.

* * *

Yes, while everyone else is getting wildly powerful servants, Shirou receives a Saber weaker than Artoria was at the beginning of Fate (besides her Mana and absurdly high luck). EMIYA and Emiya are forever cursed with E-rank luck.

Though, I was limited to Avalon-connected servants in this situation since Shirou has Avalon. Merlin and Morgan were out. Richard is, well, Richard. Emiya wasn't jaded enough to summon EMIYA. He's too pureto summon either of the Arturia Alters. There wasn't much connection between him and Arturia Lancer. He seemed to question ideals too much to summon canon Arturia, and she would've been a vanilla servant without much to add to where this story will go. I seriously considered Mordred, but the connection to Avalon seemed too distant.

The Princess Knight seemed like a good fit. Both are young teens on a journey to reach a noble yet impossible ideal. Neither are fully-self confident, yet both have a desire to help others. Saber Lily will also go amazingly well with a still upcoming servant and the overall plot.

As for Shinji, this is the Nasuverse. People don't always die when they are killed, and Shinji is a very interesting character (even though he's utterly disgusting as a human being).

As for any discrepancies with Illya's character versus canon, they probably stem from her being with a non-Berserker servant for two good months. She spent that time doing SOMETHING after all…

Anyway, thank you for your support!

Oh, and sorry for still not showing Illya's Archer. I'm trying not to saturate the plot with too many servants at once, though he's next.


	13. Chapter 13

As his first act in the Fifth Holy Grail War, Shirou took a taxi home. While he should've registered with the overseer, he felt drained in terms of emotion and Prana. He simply wanted to make dinner, talk with his family and newest additions to their alliance, and sleep for a good seven hours.

While he couldn't see her in her astralized form, the pure energy bouncing off Saber gave a sense of youthful awe. He couldn't blame her. For most of her life, the girl lived on a medieval farm. Instead of the occasional carriage, Fuyuki overflowed with bustling vehicles. Rather than the stench of manure and the earthy aroma of a fall harvest, the sharp tinge of the city lofted to her nose. In place of rolling hills, she saw towering buildings.

Since he summoned her without catalyst, did that make him this adorably naive?

She asked him question after question which he responded to by nodding his head a yes or no. It would confuse the cab driver if his passenger spoke to himself muttering words like "My favorite color is purple" and "I'm more of a morning person". She moved to this form of questions after he explained Illya and his alliance's overall strategy.

Still, Saber learned a great deal about him with things that mattered little. She asked the type of questions two young strangers would ask each other in order to become friends, and he enjoyed that fact. Unless Saber wished to remain in this world and ended up winning the Grail War, something he feared wouldn't occur due to her less than stellar abilities, he'd only know her for a couple of weeks at most before she died.

The cab stopped. Shirou paid the man in full and thanked him for his time. Then, he stepped out of the car and walked to his front door.

"I sense two Heroic Spirits, Shirou," she spoke. A moment later, the girl materialized next to him wearing a white dress that seemed intentionally reminiscent of a lily. From her sword's history, he knew Merlin suggested the feminine attire. Shirou decided to give the girl some more clothes to choose from along with some shoes. Sakura, Tohsaka, and even Taiga all mentioned how much heels could hurt the ankles. His new friend needed tennis shoes. "I can't wait to meet them!" she exclaimed, her smile glued to her face.

"Me too," Shirou noted as he opened the front door, then he let out a startled grunt. A warm body crashed into his own, and she seemed worried. After shifting his footing to keep from stumbling, he asked his girlfriend, "What can I do?"

Sakura held onto his form for several seconds, and he patted her back. Anything could happen during a Grail War, and he anticipated several instances where Sakura might want assurance through simple human contact. He'd expect Tohsaka to as well, but the girl proved too… Tohsaka-y to ask for such reassurance.

"You were gone for so long!" Oh, he caused the problem. "And when there were three summons today, I thought you might've been killed or captured or…" She backed away from him and wiped away her tears. Giving a smile, she said, "I'm just glad we're all safe."

He nodded. "I am too." Scratching the back of his head, the sword user noted, "But I was actually captured." He grimaced. "Sorry about that, but the Einzbern master wanted to know me a bit. On the bright side, I have a sister now."

Sakura merely stared at him, a certain look he found females could produce that terrified an aspect of the male subconscious.

Fortunately for him, Tohsaka came to his rescue by walking towards them. Her eyes had a haunted glint, like the rare moments where Sakura talked about her abuse. Was her servant terrifying? "Emiya, Sakura. Now that we're all together, let's talk with the whole team." Her shoulders slumped. "I think we all have a lot to discuss."

* * *

Saber liked the two girls. She met them seconds ago nor had they even had a proper introduction; however, both seemed like pleasant company. More importantly, both needed some help.

She followed after her master into the magus' house. While not a magus herself, the girl spent years under Merlin's tutelage. She could sense a warded building without even trying. Oh! Maybe Merlin could be summoned in this war too. That'd be fun, especially if she could whack him a few times with her sword, fists, or any nearby projectiles.

Nevertheless, she focused enough on the two other spirits to defend Shirou if needed. While she trusted the girls, heroes can be quite fickle, like Merlin!

They stopped at an odd table, one for eating in this country, because it didn't have any chairs. The other servants sat on their knees and sipped tea. One looked younger than herself when she pulled out Caliburn. The girl wore a black cloak that covered most of her body, but what little she could see appeared adorable. Plus, she had purple hair, which made her look like a little fairy.

The other hero choked on then spat out his tea the moment he laid eyes on her… Grey, beautiful eyes… Shaking her head to focus on the situation, she gave a true smile and courtsied for her two new fighting companions. "Hi! I'm Saber."

Wiping his mouth with a chiseled and manly arm, the male servant grumbled, "This damned war makes no sense." Waiting for the three masters to sit, he continued, "Since I have a sinking feeling that all of the other servants will be terrifying, I think we should ignore the normal secrecy and be perfectly upfront with each other. Any objections?"

No one did.

"Since my whole explanation and identity will lead to a few long tangents, I'll save that for last. For the next few minutes, just accept I have a Reality Marble and have used that to remember bits and pieces of similar alternate reality wars. Let's start with the enemies. What do we know about any other masters?"

A Reality Marble?! She never met someone with one of those before, not even Merlin had one! That was awesome.

The little girl servant set down her cup of tea and drew back her hood. Why was such a young child, even younger than herself, in a war? "I found Shinji and probably Zouken living in the Matou mansion today. Shinji is a master yet to summon a servant."

Saber noted the varying looks of rage, fear, and disgust rolling around the room at the mention of those names. Even the male servant had a hardening of his demeanor. That master must be a bad person of some sort.

The girl continued, "Shinji seemed to suggest that Sakura won't be killed if we kill him." Saber definitely had a few things to learn about her new allies. This situation seemed confusing and tragic. "That is all."

Shirou cleared his throat. "The Einzbern master confronted me on my way home. I'm fairly certain her Od dwarfs all of us combined due to what she displayed. She's the daughter of the fourth war's lesser grail and my father." With that revelation, Tohsaka, who Saber concluded to be based off Shirou's description, made a choking noise. Sakura seemed confused.

"She's about eighteen but looks eight. The reason for the Einzerbern family slaughter seemed to be from a mixture between experimentation and torture to create the perfect master and lesser grail. I never saw her servant, but she had several more than the two homunculi I saw with her. I think her personality is… an angry Sakura but with a magus' perspective? She captured me because she wanted to know if I was a bad person who stole her father. She let me go after I summoned Saber." He shrugged. "I don't think she'll kill any of us unless she has to. She wants the Grail since her body is dying from all the modifications. I'd like to save her."

Tohsaka pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned. "Only you would want to save your kidnapper."

Saber raised her hand. "Um…" The handsome servant motioned for her to go on. "Illya knows my name."

The man nodded. "The Einzbern master summoned the King of Knights during the last war, Princess."

She huffed and most certainly did not blush. "I'm not a princess! I'm a knight in training, Artoria Pendragon and Saber. My parameters are also horrible for a Saber." She dropped her gaze. "Sorry."

"Avenger," said the adorable ally. Also, they had a special class on their team? Neat! "Like an assassin-rider hybrid. Gorgon. Call me Ana." A flood of knowledge from the Grail entered her mind, all of which pertained to the anti-hero in question. Saber quickly concluded that staying on Ana's good side will significantly increase her chances of survival. She also concluded that Ana needed many hugs.

"I'm almost certain the Einzbern master summoned an Archer Heracles," spoke the still unnamed hero. Also, holy shit. That was terrifying. "Though, in the other wars, she summoned him as a Berserker, which hindered her. Heracles won his battles more through cunning than his overwhelming strength. I'm Caster this time, so I expect Medea to not be summoned. The witch summoned her own Assassin as well, so I'm assuming that was the class Ana replaced. Cu Chulainn will probably be summoned as well. I'm uncertain about the final servant."

Saber scratched her head. "And who are you?"

"EMIYA," muttered Ana.

"Yes?" her master replied.

Caster chuckled, a dry and sarcastic droll. "I come from a reality where I never made personal connections to those around me, something you've already accomplished, Emiya." He sounded like a lonely knight… _like what I will become. _

"I'm Counter Guardian EMIYA."

* * *

Mirrors were illusions masked under the guise of truth. Right was left and left was right. It failed to even show how one currently looked, instead showing how a person looked milliseconds before. Emiya gazed into a reversed mirror, one that showed him in the future. He saw a future of death and fire, a full circle from his past.

Sakura was the first to speak. "And my Emiya isn't you?" she asked. Her eyes shifted from one Shirou to the other.

He nodded. "I can't say the idiot won't become a Counter Guardian, but we don't share the same fate."

Ana cleared her throat. "Battlefield intelligence."

EMIYA smirked. "Yeah, I can recall the three other wars I was in. Oh, and one other thing. Kirie Kotomine still has Archer from the previous war. Gilgamesh is kept alive by the bodies of all the other children orphaned from the Great Fire."

It was at that point Saber broke into tears, Sakura almost seemed to glow with a dark hatred, Ana closed her eyes, Shirou resolved to free the orphans, and Rin held back vomiting on the floor.

The fake priest was a fake priest.

EMIYA decided the children needed the rest of the day off. After all, dull sword was nothing but a long mettle stick.

* * *

Ana sensed the magic around her like a snake's tongue. Prana ebbed and flowed. Her years of hunting heightened her sense beyond that of a normal magus or even the minor gods. She knew the exact time her master and her boyfriend stopped their… nightly dalliance in the bedroom. Rin's soft signature meandered from the girl's procured bedroom in the rapidly glowing household. The astral Saber existed meters from their masters, most likely red-faced but unwilling to stop guarding the door due to a knight's honor. Ironic. Most servants would attack from any direction but the door.

Lastly, she entered the physical plane in the kitchen, where Castor toiled. Shirou used cooking as an outlet, living around the boy for months taught her that much, so she suspected EMIYA kept that habit over millennia. Or, maybe the Counter Force didn't grace him with a kitchen, and he just wanted to indulge an old pastime. In the end, it didn't matter. Words needed to be spoken, and the food smelled good.

He didn't bother to look up. In fact, he stirred without hiccup, but his words held a resigned passivity. "And that was six."

She remained motionless. No use gestured when the other had his back turned. "In Europe."

His shoulders rolled with a shrug. "Too far away to be Shinji with everyone else accounted for. Probably the idiot who got killed by Medea in my timeline. Since I took her only class, he must've spent the past hours scrambling for another catalyst. The one we felt earlier must've been Cu. His master did the ritual in Japan last time, got her arm chopped off because of it."

"Thoughts?"

"Probably a British servant because he summoned there last time. Probably an asshole to match the master's personality. I don't see him going for a Berserker, so I'm guessing Rider or Assassin, whichever slot you didn't take."

He poured the battered eggs on a frying pan. Sizzling bacon already lied there, but the eggs will add a decent touch. She had no idea why he had a milk carton sitting out without a glass to pour it in.

"Shirou doesn't cook that way."

This time, EMIYA paused. Shirou specialized in Japanese cuisine. Rin, Chinese. Sakura, European. "I never saved her." His words came out like a murmuring stream, but it failed to hide the jagged rocks below. "I said goodbye and went off to the Clock Tower with Rin. She was happy for me. I sent her a card while I was in the Amazon, offering condolences for her grandfather's untimely death. The old man has just a couple years before his soul shatters under the strain. She said not to worry because her brother was taking care of her. They both outlived me."

Ana tilted her head, processing the personal information. She decided on truth rather than a pretty lie. "In a hero's legend, most women fall into three categories. Monster. Wife. Victim."

He flipped over the eggs as fluid became solid. "Reality doesn't fit into nice boxes or conceptual dreams. It simply does what it pleases and disregards our preconceived notions. Your Sakura is already wife and victim, and innocence is too common a casualty in war."

"I'm already a monster, and I'll do so again to let a blossom produce unblemished fruit."

EMIYA turned off the heat and scooped the eggs and bacon onto two plates, perfectly portioned as if planned. "Milk added to eggs helps their fluff," he mumbled before giving a small smirk. "Care for a midnight snack, little monster?"

She crossed her arms in anger. "I'm the only real adult." Her stomach growled. "But eating food alleviates Sakura's strain."

* * *

Heracles read while his master slept. Every day, he learned more about this future era and their constant improvements on warcraft. How easy would it have been to slay Hydra with a Tomahawk missile? After the Age of Gods, mankind still strove for power, just as technological wizards instead of the normal kind. He chuckled.

Truly, the girl's father had the right idea during the Forth War. Battles were meant to be won, not tales of shiny knights. Despite the irony of arguably the most famous of legendary heroes, he didn't agree with the principle. Killing and murder disgusted him, as it should to any warrior. To enjoy bloodshed… to lose oneself to bloodlust…

He set his book down and shut his eyes tightly. Illya wouldn't want to see him cry.

He lost himself to madness in his life, with both himself and others to blame. Either war, the cause mattered less than the result. People died. He killed his wife, son, and daughter. His legend personified battle, both the cunning hero and the berserk killer.

How grateful he felt to be an Archer rather than a Berserker.

Reopening his eyes, a calming wave washed over him at the sight of his tiny Master. She rolled onto her side, her hair a tangled mess covering her face. Away were her feelings of loss and fury in her moments of rest. Here, Illya was a sleeping girl, nothing more or less.

* * *

A certain girl stepped off a certain plane into a certain city. The city went by the title London. The plane existed outside public knowledge but had the highest privilege, for it ferried important Church members from one place to another when shit hit the fan. The girl was born under one name yet went by Caren Hortensia these days.

She sighed, for she wanted to finish the sixth chapter. Upon hearing her newest mission, even though the evil spirit was still at large, she left Greece immediately. At this point, shouldn't the Church just re-title her as "All Things Heroic Spirit"? While she trusted the Lord in all His ways, humanity was a fallen creature, so even the most pious could be blasted idiots. Tucking a worn bookmark into Revelation, she tucked her pocket-sized Bible in her left pocket. Ahead of her, she saw a Magus Lord with long, flowing hair scrambling towards her. He looked genuinely worried and understandably terrified.

"Lord," she prayed in the final moments before her newest duty called her to action, "Give me the strength to follow your will." Tilting her head back and forth, she decided a confession might be in order too. "Also, forgive me of my arrogance. I took Rin's friendship for granted. Clearly, she must be a wise woman indeed, because how else could Atrum Galliasta not only lose his tongue, but also get kidnapped by his own Heroic Spirit?"

* * *

Author's Notes: This is neither abandoned nor forgotten. Instead, I've been almost entirely without internet for almost two months now. I live in quite a rural area, so I rely on my phone for hot-spotting my internet. Unfortunately, my phone sorta... stabbed itself in the heart like Lancers often do. Why not get a new phone? I have an unfortunate combination of being poor and too lazy to pester my service provider into giving me a free one. I'll try to get onto my old publishing schedule now that I fired up an old computer that never seems to loose its Word07.

And sorry for all the different POVs here. This chapter was very much a bridge, and I don't think anyone wanted to read about EMIYA saying what happened in the previous alt-Fifth Wars. Archer Heracles, regardless of his physical abilities, knows the best weapon in these kinds of wars is the mind. Saber Lily is a little girl doing her best to wear a knight's shoes but also knows she's the weakest by far. Caren knows she's about to reenact Daniel and the Lion's Den.

Up next, registering with Kirei and an actual fight.

Thanks for all of your favs, follows, and reviews!


	14. Chapter 14

As his master and his younger, alternative self registered with the damned priest, Caster sat on a park bench. Saber stood next to him, since he spread his arms and legs over the bench in a way that only assholes could manage; however, he had different reasons for his position. Saber simply terrified him. For three wars as a Counter Guardian and one as his young self, he fought with the King of Knights. Stoic. Selfless. Powerful. Wise. Most of all, hungry. Only the latter truly applied to the girl. Cheerful instead of stoic. Naïve over selfless. Weak rather than powerful. Ignorant in place of wise.

Saber made him uncomfortable, not that he would tell her that. She deserved better, so he'd gladly be viewed as an unrepentant asshole over hurting her. After all, he was an unrepentant asshole, just not in this situation.

Inside the church, he imagined what Kotomine spoke. He mocked Shirou's dream of heroics and chip away at Rin's fragile confidence nonetheless, a forewarning did wonders. While still young and weak, Tohsaka held staggering potential and Shirou… The Emiyas were always good at killing. No, for the moment, the dangers towards the living three originated from the other competitors. The priest and Gilgamesh will make their moves later.

Now? He doubted any warrior would be dumb enough to attack at ten in the morning, a time he chose as the registering time due to the sheer inconvenience of a daytime battle. Illya seemed more subdued this time around, perhaps even reasonable. Cu might, but he'd want a true battle, one without the chance of an interruption from the non-magical populace. Shinji was too much of a coward to fight in an even battle. That left the servant from Europe, though attacking the more isolated Sakura had more strategic value, hence she want to school while the other two had a tragic case of food poisoning… Rin may have used her abilities to have Taiga think she cooked them all dinner last night.

And all his thoughts screeched to a halt when a soft warmth pressed against his arm. Perhaps they should've remained astralized, but their presences acted as deterrents, even in their civilian garb.

"What are you doing?" he bit out but refused to move. He won't surrender to a mere child!

"Sitting," she chirped as though she hadn't invaded his personal space, and her actions were deliberate. Her cheeks showcased a faint flush, clearly from the embarrassment of a knight disregarding personal space.

"And why are you sitting here, leaning on my arm like a headrest, Princess?" His left eye twitched, a holdover from years under Rin's tutelage, if memory came to serve.

She huffed and folded her arms of Rin's jacket. The girl couldn't be strolling about wearing that medieval dress of hers. Blowing a stray hair out of her eyesight, she stated, "I'm a knight. When I see someone in need of help, I help."

Caster didn't know when terrified him more… How different this Saber was from his Saber or how her life forced this idealistic girl into the stoic woman she'll become. It didn't matter now. The past passed. They were just the echoes. "And how does that relate to me?"

She smiled. "Because you-"

They both stood. Saber astralized Caliburn; he projected his married blades, Kanshou and Bakuya. During their conversation, fewer and fewer people appeared until they were the only two in sight. While odd, it stood as just improbable. Except on Sundays, people won't congregate around the local church, especially in Japan. Plus, he'd be able to sense a Bounded Field to ward off the non-magi.

The charging, spear-wielding maniac suggested otherwise.

He reinforced his body to improve his pitiful stats and hoped Shirou would stay in the damned church. With his liberating levels of Caster class' Prana, he could've formed enough swords to rival Gilgamesh and launched them without worries on supply. Showing his hand early could lead to an early death, plus he had mini-Saber. Her sword detailed her abilities, ones befitting an average Knight of the Round Table.

EMIYA parried a strike from the dog while the end of his demonic spear parried Saber's swipe at his feet. He threw Bakuya at Cu, intending it to miss only to circle back later. The blades couldn't stand to be apart for too long. A small cut formed on his left shoulder. Odd. During their previous battles, he withstood Lancer better than this… His eyes widened.

Cu Chulainn wasn't wearing a shirt.

EMIYA cursed his E-ranked Luck and formed dozens of swords. The dog went rabid.

* * *

Sakura ignored her history lesson. While not a slight against her teacher, other concerns pressed down on her mind. Unlike most of her classes, she seated herself besides a window overlooking the school's entrance. Over the school year, she grew accustomed to the view to the point where she could picture it in her mind's eye. Sometimes, people walked by or sat on the bench, though today a newcomer approached.

She spied a god.

He wore a black jacket and pants, though she couldn't reinforce her eyes to see better details. Senpai and Rin excelled in that branch, unlike herself. Though astralized, she felt Ana pacing the classroom and radiating a nervous energy. Even her classmates shifted uneasily, but that branched from the announcement this morning. A serial killer and gas leaks his the city simultaneously… Did magi command the government like a programmer to his computer, or did the highest echelons of government converse with the moonlit world? Oh well, she'll never know. Those things were best left to Rin.

However, Rin wasn't here, yet Gilgamesh was. The king decided to waste his time with her, so every moment wasted could spur the wrath of the original hero.

Her hand shot up like an arrow. She used a fraction of her Od to power a simple Memory Manipulation. Mr. Kuzuki suddenly _remembered _a conversation between them this morning. She _told _him her period was worse than normal but would do her best to make it through the day. After all, the best falsities were ones wrapped in truth.

"Sensei, can I be excused for… m-medical reasons?" The stutter enhanced her believably.

"As, Miss Matou." His right hand never faltered writing on the chalkboard. "You are."

Ignoring the looks ranging from empathetic to confused, the heiress picked up her school bag and exited the room. Her footsteps echoed though empty halls as the muffled sounds of teachers and students escaped from the classes.

Ana voiced her fears. "I'm divine. Conversation, not fighting. We're children. He likes kids."

Sakura considered her childhood foregone the moment she first entered the worm pit.

She took off her school shoes and put on boots. They seemed slightly out of place with her school clothes, but dying from a footwear malfunction after her personal hell seemed… pitiful. The girl shoved her school bag into her locker, not needing them for tonight. Killing heroes trumped homework any time.

Gilgamesh smirked in a manner opposite of Caster's and trotted away. Somehow, she almost failed to follow him in a jog. They played follow the leader for an hour, an hour of Gilgamesh walking. While she doubted he'd lower himself to a taxi, why not pay for a limousine? It smelled fishy, but risking her safety held less sway than angering the servant possessing Ea. Plus, she had Ana.

A swerve to the left brought the three of them into a park. The name meant little. The spare trees and brown grass mattered not. The pervading sense of pure evil barely registered as a blip. Trees reached up with leafless limbs like prisoners in hell reaching for heaven. The dead grass crunched under her feet. The air smelt stale. None of that mattered.

Shirou Emiya was born here.

The golden man pulled out a small, sapphire orb. It meant something to someone, but Sakura merely noted the Bounded Field that came into existence. The few souls in the park turned in the same moment and strolled away while Gilgamesh formed a golden, jeweled chair. He lounged on the chair in a way best described as kingly boredom.

Ana materialized already in a deep bow. Sakura followed suit. "King," said the Avenger.

"Wayward goddess," he addressed in a neutral tone. A goblet on wine appeared in his hand. He sipped. Sakura wondered if he used his Holy Grail as a cup.

"Thank you. Ending the age of gods." While her companion talked, the young master did her best to remain unnoticed. She had nothing to add.

"Oh?" he sipped again, without a sound. "You thank me for what you stopped?"

"Yes."

"Dull," he mused. Dissipating the throne, orb and globe, the king strode away.

Sakura missed the context. A fish out of water; a mortal amongst the gods. She grasped at the situation, but the sand slipped through her fingered. Her heartbeat quickened. Her circuits flared. The girl knew being humble; however, something in her stomach churned and twisted, like the desire to eat for a starving man. The dozens of her worms wriggled throughout her flesh while Zouken's in her heart shuddered.

The world warped around her, though not like a shattered mirror. The scenery compared to the lucid state where a person awoke from a nightmare. The world hadn't changed, but it became fearful. The ground shimmered in mirages of black. Tentacled fog reached out from the corner of one's eye. Winter's chill felt hot.

All became hollow.

"Gilgamesh," she snarled in a quiet fury. "If you hurt Shirou, I'll kill you."

The King of Heroes turned around, red eyes appraising her. Without a sound, he smiled. Then, he left.

* * *

Saber parried the blow. She dug her heels into the concrete while the god-like force pushed her back. Before having the possibility to even consider, he backhanded her with his left hand while his right thrusted his spear at Caster. Had her Endurance been a Rank lower, her neck would've snapped under the strain. All the while, their enemy dodged flying sword with ducking, deflecting, or simply letting the swords bounce off him.

His eyes sparkled with bloodlust.

All her effort poured into surviving the demon. His speed, strength, and endurance outshone her like a candle to the sun. Going on the offensive was impossible. Had Caster not kept unrelenting pressure on Cu, the battle would've become a slaughter.

Her entire life, she trained to be the knight of knights… The King of Knights. Her adoptive father, a grand knight himself, and her brother drilled combat into her soul. She _breathed_ it. In a few more years, she knew her Instinct could've become Clairvoyance. Never did she partake in girlish endeavors. Never could she find a loving husband. Never was she a child. A Knight; A King. Nothing less but also nothing more.

Her entire life proved useless.

At best, she'd qualify as a pawn, a distraction. Caster fought with a beautiful efficiency. His white and black blades soared around their enemy. Nameless swords pelted at his frame. For every sword that disintegrated, he formed two more. To further magnify his sheer radiance, she knew he held back… She knew Cu held back… However, Saber gave her everything to simply not die immediately.

Even Caliburn would fail her. When she was still a child, Merlin described the sword's mechanics. Caliburn fired a really long ray of light that blew all the bad guys up. His description proved surprisingly accurate, for it worked miracles against armies or a slower enemy. It'll just waste Mana against the Irishman's speed.

As she parried the sixtieth killing blow, she realizing something off in a rare half-second of rest. Her enemy made no attempt to communicate, just kill. By knowing his name, she knew Cu liked to talk. He would if he could. If he couldn't, that meant one thing.

Berserker.

It'd at least explain his overwhelming power, though it casted doubts on Caster's foreknowledge. Berserker became Archer. Rider became Avenger. Archer Became Caster. Lancer became Berserker. Saber became… Young Saber.

The Berserker class had a simple concept. Trade sanity for power. While Cu proved he didn't use much sanity while fighting in the first place, it also took away some of his special abilities. Namely, Magic Resistance. All of Berserker's defense came from Endurance. Too bad their Caster made swords. On the other hand, their Saber, herself, had a lot of Od.

Whispering a silent apology to her master, Saber used her Mana Burst skill to rocket foreword. Concrete and dirt blasted into the sky behind her as she used her body as a missile. Had a man blinked, he'd have said the girl in the white dress teleported from one spot to the other; however, in the hairbreadth of time, she used another Mana Burst in her hands.

Her open hands.

Caliburn fell to the ground, discarded as it proved hopeless in this situation. As much as it was a symbol, it… it was just a sword. A tool. She couldn't afford to keep her ideal. A knight had to complete her mission. A knight had to protect the innocent. Had she been stronger, maybe the girl could've kept a knight's honor; nonetheless, she didn't.

Mordred would've been proud had she ever seen her young father this way.

Pain spiked in her chest. Her hands grabbed Berserker's right shoulder before a red burst of Prana exploded. She flew backwards as an irony liquid spattered across her face and dress. More liquid sputtered from between her breasts.

_Oh, I've been stabbed._

She leaned back and closed her eyes. Next time, she'll remember her opponent is armed when she performs a suicide run.

"I'm sorry, Shirou." She smiled, embracing the pain. There were worse ways to die, after all.

* * *

Cu Chulainn glanced his bloody shoulder, vaguely aware of an arm that used to be there. Oh well, he could use a spear with one hand almost as well with two.

So, he ignored the flesh wound.

The girl was dying, didn't even notice he stabbed her. Ha! The man looked angry. For himself, anger helped. Few could face his onslaught when rage pumped through his veins like blood, like right now. Maybe that was why he could think… sorta… with the whole Mad Enhancement thing going on. Anyway, for others, angry faces just meant he'd kill them sooner.

He charged at the man with the flying swords. He didn't know the man's name, nor did he have the sanity to guess his name. Hell, he couldn't figure out if the person was a Saber or Archer. Probably Saber. Saber used swords. He used a lot of swords. That meant the pretty dying girl was Rider.

That made sense, right?

Anyhow, he charged at Saber, but something looked different about the guy, not just his anger. Yeah, his lips morphed into a snarl, but those grey eyes got intense. Like, really intense. Maybe he'll get serious? Cu decided to get serious too. Maybe that'd spur on a good fight. The two on one was boring. The poor girl was a clear rookie. Too bad. She looked cute. As a favor, he made sure not to harm her breasts. That would've been cruel.

Saber spoke some words. He didn't quite understand them all. Most words didn't make sense, even his hot Master's words, but he got the intent. Like, he should stab these two heroes until they die. She'll do something to their masters too.

Then, Saber said something that stabbed through his shroud of madness. Prana reverberated in and around them. So many swords appeared as if from nothingness. All were pointed at him. What did those words mean?

**"I am the bone of my sword."**

He felt the odd need to curse his E-rank Luck.

* * *

Wasn't she supposed to die alone? The Grail didn't provide her with what would happen to her, but her master and his friends had books upon books about legends. King Author was one of them. She cried alone last night.

Saber didn't want to die, not yet at least. She wanted to help people. She wanted to meet people. Instead, her dimming eyes saw Berserker dying from a thousand paper cuts, if swords became paper. Caster fought with such power… such purity of the sword.

As she drowned in her blood, a killing blow that still missed her Core, she reached out as if to grab him, to take hold of his essence. She saw a knight. She wanted to be like that.

**"Steel is my body and fire is my blood." **

Exhaustion defeated her body. Her arms went limp. Her head fell onto dirt. Her eyes closed. She felt very dizzy.

She felt a warm hand hold hers. Opening her eyes, she saw red hair and crying eyes.

Forcing the blood out of her mouth, she sputtered, "I'm sorry."

Berserker screamed in frustration. Were those chains that bound him? The chains of the gods?

EMIYA stood over the three, like a king over his subjects. Berserker thrashed in vain. Rin took out a gemstone, but Caster shook his head. Instead, he pulled a scabbard out of her master.

She blinked, wondering if she was hallucinating.

When he pressed the scabbard into herself, her core, her _soul_... it resonated, as if she lived her entire life as an incomplete puzzle only to find the final piece at death's door.

It accepted her; Avalon healed her.

Considering her master's befuddled face, he didn't know the Divine Construct was within him which also explained how he summoned Artoria. Why her and not the counterpart that actually used the scabbed, she had no idea. Perhaps Shirou was more of a Princess of Knights than King of Kings?

It mattered not. Avalon accepted her. When given the choice, Artoria valued the sword over the sheath, and thus she died. Now? She'd snap Caliburn in half if it let her keep The Ever-distant Utopia. A knight protected the people. Avalon was, is, and will be the ultimate defensive construct.

It helped that it saved her life too.

Saber sat up as her flesh wriggled back into place. The blood stained her white a crimson, and she wiped the liquid off her chin. Reality hadn't quite registered with her yet.

**"Gae Bolg!"**

Berserker used his Noble Phantasm, one of the best servant killers she could think of. Though thrown with nothing more than a flick of his chained wrist, the demonic spear worked with a simple logic. If the spear was thrown, then it hits the heart. It was like a boulder on a mountain. Though only a little force needed to push it, it would take Herculean effort to spot the boulder mid-role. Her Instinct worked well enough to know he chose Caster as his victim, so she pushed herself to her feet and shielded Caster with her body.

Stupid? Probably, but she was willing to bet Avalon trumped a mere B-rank Noble Phantasm.

**"Unknown to death; unknown to life." **Yet Caster continued his Aria, one which made his need for a hug abundantly clear. **"Rho Aias!"**

The spear struck a flower, seven rows of glowing flowers which floated in the air. Despite never hearing of the shield before, she knew the Conceptual Weapon as it was, the absolute defense against a thrown weapon; furthermore, Berserker threw his spear.

As the first flower shattered, Saber strode to her sword. Her master fussed over Rin who bled from her temple. They looked as though they fought in a battle. Perhaps they did against the enemy master. She'll ask them later. For now, a knight had to slay a rabid dog.

As the second flower shattered, she walked to Berserker. His arm still bled. He still struggled against the chains. He snarled at her, like a mutt in a cage. Most of all, she saw the traces of fear in his eye, not of death but of inconsequentiality. What good was a guard dog if it had no teeth? He used his best attack, but she was strolling about while Caster just stood.

Berserker had A-rank Battle Continuation. He'd live a while even after he died, a truly dangerous skill. She could use Caliburn to vaporize him, but such an act could hurt or alert others. No. Berserker won't have the honor of a magnificent death. Her gut twisted but her determination remained resolute.

"I don't know if you understand me, Hound of Ulster, but do you have any final words?" Was that her voice? Had she always sounded so… cold? She resisted a shudder. This must have been her future. The sunshine in her soul darkened with every cloud of stormy battle until only rain lingered.

So, she smiled for the man, a happy smile. Perhaps his final moments could use some of her cheerfulness. "I would've loved to know you better, had we the chance."

The third flower shattered.

Cu Chulainn didn't reply with words. He stopped struggling and looked her in the eyes. He lips rose into a playful smirk, then he nodded.

She chopped off his head with a single swing.

And the battle finished. A man died. For what? Berserker was a good man. A flawed one, yes, but what hero existed without his faults? He died to fill a cup for a society clinging onto a power fading away, like maggots festering in a dead corpse. Grail Wars replaced heroes with offerings. Pitifully, she couldn't fault her master and his friends. They wanted to save a girl. If that wasn't heroic, what was?

Her free hand touched her cheek, and Atroria felt tears. A giggling sob escaped from her lips. "I'm crying," she said. Disappointment and revulsion dominated her thoughts. She killed before. She fought before. Why did this feel different? Was she truly so troubled by her brush with death?

Or, maybe she felt terror when Avalon accepted her Prana, as if she was the woman who died on Camlann Hill. She wasn't that King; she was herself.

"Saber," Shirou's voice sounded soft, like the straw in her childhood home's stable. "You did good. Let's go home."

She turned around. Caster already astralized. Rin appeared exhausted and sore. Her master might collapse any moment from Prana exhaustion.

Her armor dissipated leaving behind her street wear. She forced herself to smile and nodded. "Lean on me," she suggested. "I'll lend you my strength, both of you."

They did. Saber brought them home safely, without faltering once. She accepted Caliburn and the duties of king, not hesitating once. That meant protecting her people, being their sword and standard bearer. Till death takes her once again, she'll do everything in her power to be that king. Not one who she was, for she never was King Arthur. No, she will be the King of Knights she struggled to be for her entire life.

Within her, Avalon glowed.

* * *

Cu Chulainn (DEAD)

Class:

Berserker

Parameters:  
Strength: A  
Endurance: B  
Agility: A+  
Mana: C  
Luck: E  
NP: B

Class Skills:  
Mad Enhancement: B

Personal Skills:  
Battle Continuation: A  
Divinity: B  
Protection from Arrows: B

Noble Phantasms:  
Gae Bolg: Soaring Spear that Strikes with Death

* * *

Author's notes:

You know what sucks? When your entire Word Doc file is deleted… by your own hand… just as you finished a chapter. So! I'll get to see how well I can re-write a chapter by memory and creativity. After all, a copy can be just as good as the original!

On that note, I'm going to release another chapter next Sunday just because I'm getting annoyed by my recent writing speed on this. Sorry.

Why did I immediately kill Berserkulainn? (Note: He's not Berserker Alter from FGO, just Berserker.) While writing the battle, I realized Caster EMIYA was a hilariously good match against Berserker Cu. Caster EMIYA is pretty slow. He's as squishy as your average Caster; however, with the power of Rin's Prana, he essentially has use of a fake Gates of Babylon with none of Gil's pride. Will he be able to annihilate any of the other servants this easily? Hell no.

I did him-haw on what to do with Cu. It boiled down to even an OP Berserker being outclassed by just about anyone and there not being much for me to do plot-wise with Cu. None of you thought he'd win. Every fight I put him in came with the expectation that he won't kill any of our protagonists nor would he survive until the end.

And this is the servant who battled Gilgamesh for half a day in the Fate route. Caster simply overpowered the overpowered servant. The unstoppable force met a much more unbreakable wall.

Why did Caster leave Avalon in Shirou until now? He figured his past's counterpart was the most likely to do something incredibly stupid, so he didn't tell anyone because Shirou would of course give it to someone else. Probably not the best decision. Any Artoria possessing a working Avalon is freaking dangerous.

What am I doing with Saber Lily? A lot of things. Her stats are also not abysmal because of Shirou's earlier activation of his Magic Circuits. (Fun fact: her Strength is still lower than Artoria under canon Shirou.) Shirou's Prana is just enough for her to get by without a detriment, but Mana Burst is straining. She probably would've died shortly if it wasn't for Avalon. (As in, anyone could've killed her whenever. Now, she's less easy to kill.)

Thank you all for your continued reading!


	15. Chapter 15

Illya took another bite of the grapefruit. At home, she hated the fruit. It tasted bitter and never filled her up. Now, her maids make whatever she wanted, especially how they weren't on the road any longer. On the breakfast table, they had pancakes, waffles, fried eggs, scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs, soft-boiled eggs, oranges, sausages, bacon, syrup, hash browns, and even that accursed excuse for real fruit some wise-butt named _grapefruit_. It didn't even look like a grape! Oh, they had grapes too. And sweet melon!

Why was she eating the grapefruit when she could be eating almost anything else? Because her grapefruit had enough sugar on it to kill a servant with diabetes. Three. Whole. Spoonfuls. No one told her to stop. No one forced her to eat better. No one controlled her body like a tool.

So she ate that blasted grapefruit and enjoyed it.

Though, none of the food went to waste. Her entire new family ate the food too. Heracles sat next to her eating grapes, and her homunculi cousins ate the other assortments of food. With the Einzberns, the homunculi ate away from everyone else, as if they were dogs hiding away to eat scraps; however, she knew a homunculus was as much as a person as anyone else. Illya knew that because she was a person too.

"Enjoying your meal?" Heracles asked. A hint of amusement bled into his tone, like how her mother doted on her before she left and died.

"Mmm!" was all the response she gave, for her mouth had food inside. A proper lady and magus carried the best table manners at all times. After swallowing her delicious and sugary delight, she asked, "And are you sure I have two big brothers?"

When Heracles told her of his findings yesterday, Illya didn't speak to anyone for the rest of the day. He watched the whole battle to learn more about the others. They didn't expect a Heroic Spirit to die. Poor Cu. But, he also saw big brother's battle with Berserker's master. He and who they assume to be Caster fought using the same rare branch of Magecraft. They also looked alike.

Really, it seemed pretty obvious that they were the same person.

So, Illya cried in her room and went to bed early. Her brother turned into a Counter Guardian. The Moonlit world will remain hidden, so a magus had no way to become famous as a warrior. Without fame, one couldn't become a Heroic Spirit. Plus, Shirou seemed crazy enough to accept a deal like that.

It also meant the guy would know a lot about this war beforehand. Stupid cheating cheaters and their cheating cheats.

It also meant that the nice boy who offered to save the life of his kidnapper was forced to kill millions to save billions in different timelines.

Why couldn't things be simpler, like the Third Grail War? The weirdest thing that happened then consisted of the Einzbern family summoning a lame Avenger and the two finalists marrying each other. Sakura Matou's Avenger already took the cake for being awesome.

"They are the same," answered Heracles. "I could tell you my other observations now."

"Sure!" She found an odd liking for strategy. While certain they could steamroll the others, planning a careful victory sent a tingly chill up her spine. While her brain was stuck at the stage before puberty, meaning abstract thoughts were hard, plans felt tangible to her. Adult yet attainable. Romance seemed icky. Alcohol could hurt her body. Schemes? Totally possible.

"Caster has stats around what you'd expect for a dangerous Caster." Heracles paused to eat a handful of grapes. He was big, so he ate a lot of grapes every bite. "Before he showed some of his tricks, he fought Berserker to a standstill mostly using close-combat rather than Magecraft. When he cut loose, he showed chains that could stop even me for a moment and a defensive shield that could stop anything below…" He rubbed his chin. "A or B depending on the attack type."

"How hard would he be to defeat?" She took the last bite of her grapefruit.

He chuckled. "Hard to say for sure. I'm the better servant, and I'd win in a battle between Prana supply. Still, I'm willing to bet he has a few weapons that might kill me a few times. He'd work better with allies, so our battle should be one on one."

Illya nodded. "And the Saber?"

He scratched his chin. "Odd."

"Odd?" She titled her head to the side. He just finished talking about her alternate-dimension brother from the future, but the stereotypical knight was odd? She smiled. This was why she liked strategy.

"I've been thinking about this for a while. We're summoned at the height of our abilities, the pinnacle of our legends. Even then, we'd carry our accumulated knowledge with us from our entire lives. This Saber? She fought like a child about to set forth on her journey rather than the hero retouring from it. Artoria claimed King of Knights for a reason, arguably one of the strongest servants possible. His Saber is not that woman, yet Avalon still accepted her."

"A contradiction." Her face scrunched in concentration. "If Caster came from a different timeline, she did too?"

He shrugged. "Maybe."

"What else could it be?"

"The Grail knew this weaker version of King Arthur will surpass the King of Knights."

Then, somebody knocked on the front door.

* * *

Caster trained Saber in the art of swordsmanship. The irony was not lost on Rin, especially since EMIYA considered _training_ to be… hands on. To be precise, he beat the ever-loving daylights out of the poor girl. Had it not been for Avalon, she would've been injured dozens of times.

Sakura claimed lordship over breakfast, so she cooked in the kitchen. She hadn't seen Ana all morning, which meant the tiny god watched over her master invisibly. Shirou watched, absorbing all the information like a sponge. Rin watched too, just to make sure the Heroic Spirits were going alright. It had nothing to do with Caster's bare, sweaty, and muscled arms. Not at all.

After disarming Saber, fortunately not in the physical sense, Caster remarked, "Take five. We don't want to put a strain on them." He motioned to herself and Shirou. Saber nodded and kneeled on the floor, breathing heavily. Could one even train a Spirit? EMIYA thought so.

Shirou's eye twitched, something that occurred often around Caster. He had an entire arsenal stored within his mind, one which could make her friend a dangerous magus, yet the man refused to show anything to Shirou for the sake of showing. Every weapon of his had a history, including EMIYA's history. He didn't want that effecting his past's counterpart.

Considering he normally treated Shirous with a dose of attempted murder, Rin felt like they got a bargain.

_Blood splattered on the ground._

Her arms tensed, and she berated herself for that slip of control. They exited the church out the back. As contestants, they couldn't hide on neutral grounds as their servants fought. Berserker's master must've known that. She ambushed them.

The fight ended in seven seconds. The Enforcer, the same one who escorted them last summer, punched Rin with a blow matching a weaker servant. Despite her reinforced body, it shattered her arms when she tried to block it. Shirou responded by Tracing the weapons she saw when giving Monster Cutter to the Mage Association. He chopped off her arm, the one with Command Seals, with Kanshou, and hit her over the head with the flat side of Bakuya. As it turned out, Caster had the same blades and used them all the time.

They both found that revelation disturbing.

"She taught you this way, didn't she?" asked Saber. Her smile, more strained after yesterday's battle already, vanished.

Caster raised his eyebrow. "Who?"

"The King of Knights." With her hand resting on her legs and her legs folded like a Japanese lady, the passive face could be mistaken for the woman in question rather than an impressionable girl. "Was I truly so harsh?"

EMIYA sighed and his eyes lost focus. "The king has no emotions. He isn't human." His gaze focused on Saber. "The King of Knights gave her life to a dream, saving Britain. She was taught a perfect king couldn't fall into emotions lest she make a mistake. Isn't saving a hundred worth sacrificing ten?"

Artoria winced.

"That's a failed idea. Is saving two murderers worth more than the life of an innocent child? Some things are precious to us. It's what Shirou learned already." Three pairs of eyes turned to the redhead. Her friend simply waited for Caster to continue. "He loves Sakura. He'll do everything he can to save her, and she knows he loves her. My Saber loved Britain. She did everything she could to save it, but Britain never knew she loved it."

She opened her eyes. "Then, I shouldn't let go of my emotions. Instead, cling onto them, then gift them towards others."

"Yeah." He projected a new blade, most likely a nameless one to not effect Shirou's arsenal. "Time for some more training."

Saber rose to her feet but didn't unsheathe her blade. "I have one thing to do first, considering our conversation." She strode towards Caster with a fierce determination. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his unsuspecting body, one that became as stiff as a board. "Thank you."

Rin didn't feel the least bit jealous that Saber hugged Caster. Not at all.

The blonde took a step back from EMIYA and smiled. "No matter what happens, I'll always be glad that all of you became my friends."

Damn it. She couldn't stay jealous or angry at someone so sweet! Plus, she essentially friend-zoned Caster which helped.

Sakura stepped into the room. "Breakfast is ready!" she beamed. "I made everyone's omelets like you asked!"

Saber used her B-rank Agility and dashed into the dining room. Caster followed after her. Shirou stood and stretched before turning to her, "Are you ready to eat, Tohsaka?"

Rin opened her mouth then closed it, sensing a familiar presence. "In a moment."

He nodded. "Alright." He accepted her statement without questioning it. The boy truly trusted not only Sakura but herself. It felt nice.

Now alone in the training room, she turned to an empty spot. Had she wanted to, Ana could've remained hidden, but she assumed the girl wanted to talk. "Yes?" she asked.

Ana materialized, wearing her cloak as always. "Stop pitying yourself."

"Excuse me?!" Her cheeks reddened in an embarrassed anger. Her fists clenched. Her eye twitched like a woman maddened.

"Caster. Saber. Shirou. All useful in battle. Your arms broke, did nothing." Her voice never changed from her clipped indifference.

Rin whispered a shout with, "You think I don't know that?! I'm the oldest. I'm the best magus. I'm the most experienced. You know what I've done with that? Nothing." She crossed her arms and looked away. Sniffling, she continued, "Shirou and Sakura would've died over the summer, but you rescued us. Even then, we got a few mediocre swords along with Kanshou and Bakuya, which he would've copied anyway from Caster. I would've died again yesterday, but Shirou chopped off the Enforcer's arm like it was nothing. I… I…"

"Wisdom alone comes through suffering." The girl shifted. "Aeschylus, the father of Tragedy. You suffer now to be wise in the future. Guide them after I'm gone." The girl astralized, leaving Rin alone.

Wiping away her tears, the girl went into the bathroom and splashed water on her face. Her makeup didn't smudge because she didn't wear any, not during a war. Taking a few deep breaths, she waited a minute to regain her composure.

Entering into the dining room, she saw a hectic bunch. Saber ate omelets with a disturbing speed. Sakura took glance after glance towards Shirou, who analyzed his food with clinical precision yet seemed to enjoy himself regardless. Ana ate hers without a sound. Caster stared at the steaming omelets as if they were some kind of trap. Rin shrugged and tore into her own without hesitation. It tasted, of course, delicious. A perfect blend between cheese, green peppers, and mushrooms.

Caster cleared his throat. "Sakura, how did you keep all the omelets warm?"

Sakura wiggled her fingers and smirked. "Magic." Pride overflowed from the girl.

Realizing the method used, Rin shook her head and deadpanned, "You used your Imaginary Number Space to store the omelets… just to preserve them all at the perfect temperature."

Her sister grumbled, "Spoil sport." She looked away to hide an approaching blush. The sisters burst into giggling a moment later.

Caster looked confused.

Then, somebody knocked on the front door.

* * *

"I'll take," spoke the woman. The gazes of many men and a few of the fairer sex stared at the buxom, pale European. She wore a deep purple sundress and long, straw-blonde hair. The way she held herself made the weaker souls around her shudder, like a wolf among puppies. "Two Big Macs, a McChicken, a basket of fries, three Mega McMuffins, five hash browns, and a large coke." Pausing for a moment, she pulled out a piece of paper. "Also, I'll take a chocolate milk and a fruit parfait."

The young man taking the orders nodded, his gaze lingering perhaps a moment too long on her cleavage. He told her the price and she paid using paper instead of a credit card. She waited patiently for her food after filling her cup full of fizzy sugar. Then, she filled the cup again after she gulped down the coke.

When she exited the restaurant, her eyes locked onto a man. He stood out from the crowd and made no effort to mask that difference. In a sea of Japanese natives, his Aryan features glittered like gold. Without looking away, she took a long slurp from her coke. The woman marched over to her follow foreigner.

Her voice barked, like a stern mother or general. "I don't want my brunch to cool. If you stall me, I will kill you. Follow if you want to talk. Fuck off if you want to fight."

"Mongrel!" he snarled, "You dare talk to a king this-"

"A king of what?" She shoved a massive bite from her Big Mac into her mouth before continuing, "A king is nothing without a people." She smirked. "Where's yours?" Her dress swayed as she marched onwards, unwilling to let her resources dwindle under the golden man's hassling.

He scoffed, "People exist for the king, not the king for the people. These people?" He motioned to the bustling masses. "They aren't fit for the very air I breathe, let alone to worship me."

The woman shrugged as she finished the calorie-infused burger. "Gems are found amongst rock. I already found two. One kept something precious to me, the last of many generations. The other lives to serve… A troubled child, but a sweet one nonetheless."

"Oh? Are they both here?"

She shook her head. "Just the child, though she's a neutral party. The Mage Association and Church don't know what to do with us." She chuckled. "It might have something to do with my de-armed, tongue-less master. Of course, the adults send a child just entering puberty to deal with living legends. Idiots."

"Agreed," he growled. The woman opened the door to a hotel, neither fancy nor cheep, instead existing in a happy medium. Gilgamesh entered after her. "People changed, and not in a good way. In life, I hoped humanity would be more akin to fine wine."

With a shrug, she walked down a hallway full of hotel rooms. "Entropy. Without someone to keep things in order, it breaks down. I take it you believe you're that someone?"

"I am the king, so of course I lead." He spoke as if he said a fundamental and well-known truth, like water being wet. "However, only for those who are worthy."

"I believe we're at an impasse." She stopped at a door. "And if you take any more of my time, you'll be keeping me from brunch… and my new squire. She's the troubled child. Her milk and parfait may soon become warm."

"Then I offer you another chance for food." The woman's eyes lit up with the mention of more food. "After the mongrel Berserker died, I decided we should have a feast before we inevitably kill each other. There, we discuss who deserves the Grail. The King of Kings, the Goddess' alliance, or you. Perhaps you'd even realize the error of your ways."

She laughed. "Dinner among enemies entertains more than among friends. Where and when, Gil?"

His eye twitched. "Worse than even the obnoxious redhead…" Recomposing himself, he proclaimed, "Seven o'clock tonight at the Einzbern mansion."

With his mission done, Gilgamesh smirked and walked away. He didn't have to knock this time.

Lancer shrugged and unlocked the door. "Caren, I'm back!"

* * *

An old man screamed. Worms burrowed into his flesh, tearing him apart piece by piece. The parasites chewed on his fat as he watched. They left his eyes to see chunks of bloody muscle ripped from his legs. They played with his intestines. They slithered through his chest into his heart.

He died, unable to think or feel beyond the existence of pure agony.

Above the diminishing corpse, a boy with hair befitting seaweed trudged up the stairs of his basement, muttering curses at his lack of breakfast variety. "The prostitutes are gone. Criminals don't walk the street. Why are my meals so hard to find here?"

He turned behind him, where he sensed his servant hidden from all others. "You better be worth it," he grumbled with an angry sneer. "If anyone notices too early, I'm blaming you!"

The servant said nothing in reply. It simply existed.

"Probably Sakura's fault," he muttered. "Don't know how. Just how things were. Stupid bitch always got what I wanted, even my damned library." He closed the door to the basement as the worms skittered in their mass of death.

He let out a hybrid between a groan and scream. "Why can't I find any girls? They taste the best." Maybe he could simply have a family _vanish_. Tohsaka wouldn't notice during the hectic times of the war. That overseer couldn't do much to the participants unless they breached the moonlit world's secrecy. Yeah, that'd work. He smiled, at last figuring out a dinner where he could gorge himself. That old man had hardly any Od or meat. Damned old bastard.

The old fool had the audacity to knock on his door, welcoming his neighbor back.

* * *

Author's notes: This was a bit of an odd chapter, but I thought an entire section revolving around the characters eating breakfasts fit well with Fate. It also made this chapter pretty short.

I also know I said Sunday, but my time was taken by a runaway terrier I found at the back of our property. (It borders hundreds of acres of woods.) So, it takes a while to find the owner without it on the dog tags and when we're all living in a really rural area, but Ellie got reunited with her owner eventually. That's my excuse.

Anyway, there's a reason why Gilgamesh invited all the factions to dinner (besides one).

I'm looking forward to the fighting. It'll be fun. Thank you all for your continuous views and reviews (along with your ever-increasing favorites and follows)!


End file.
